A massive fire at the Kugler Company fertilizer facility in Sterling, Colo., on Sept. 3 reportedly destroyed nearly 95 percent of the building and caused a small anhydrous ammonia leak that prompted the evacuation of approximately 200 households on the northeast side of town.
The fire was reported at 3:30 p.m. and fire crews had the blaze under control by roughly 5 p.m. Ten workers were inside the plant at the time of the blaze, but all were able to safely evacuate with no injuries reported. When responders detected the leaking ammonia, a reverse 911 call went out to area homes ordering the evacuation. Local news reports on Sept. 4 said no one required hospitalization or reported getting sick from the leaking ammonia.
Investigators on Sept. 4 said the fire was likely started by a welding accident. The Sterling Fire Department remained on the scene overnight on Sept. 3 to keep putting water on the building.
Headquartered in McCook, Neb., Kugler is a regional manufacturer and supplier of liquid fertilizer products, with plant locations in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, South Dakota, and Iowa. According to the company’s website, the Sterling plant produced ammonium thiosulfate fertilizer.