Smoldering Grain in Albert City Silo, AgState Works to Remove

A smoldering mass of corn inside one of AgState Cooperative's concrete silos in Albert City has produced a strong odor for more than a month, and crews are continuing operations to cool and remove the affected grain. Employees discovered a hot spot in the bin on November 7 in a structure that originally held about 800,000 bushels of corn. AgState attributes the smolder to a fan malfunction that likely initiated the heat buildup.

AgState is working with Ambipar Response and Gregerson Salvage to manage the response. As of this week less than 300,000 bushels remain in the silo, and company officials say the bin should be emptied within two weeks. The pace of work has been slowed by winter weather and the large size of the structure, complicating access and removal efforts.

Company crews are pumping nitrogen into the bin to cool the grain and reduce the risk of fire. In colder temperatures this inerting process produces visible steam venting from the top of the silo. AgState Chief Executive Officer Troy Upah has emphasized that safety is the companys top priority and has apologized to the community for the odor while asking for continued patience. He has urged residents to avoid the site because of heavy truck traffic associated with the response.

In a letter to Albert City officials earlier this month, Upah and AgState Chief Operations Officer Marc Mears said the company remains in close contact with Fire Chief Luke Ehlers and Mayor Dale Skog and stressed the focus is on resolving the smolder "safely and as quickly as conditions allow." City officials are monitoring the situation and coordinating with the cooperative to limit public exposure and manage traffic around the facility.

For residents the immediate impacts are the persistent odor and increased truck traffic near the silo. Public health authorities and AgState assert there is no danger to the public at this time, but the incident highlights risks in grain handling operations and the importance of emergency coordination during winter conditions. The coming two weeks will be critical as crews finish inerting and removal, and local officials say they will update the community if conditions change.