No injuries as tank blows lid in S.D.

Garretson, S.D. — Parent company CHS Inc. isn’t saying at this point what caused the explosion of a liquid nitrogen fertilizer tank at Eastern Farmers Co-op here Friday afternoon, Jan. 11, that blew off the lid during welding and sent up flames and a rumble that was felt throughout the community. There were no injuries, although two welders were working on the tank containing 28 percent nitrogen, and several co-op workers were nearby. Diners at a restaurant across the street said hanging lights swayed as the explosion shook the entire building. Zach Weiland, safety supervisor at the plant, was reluctant to provide any details while he awaited arrival of investigators from CHS headquarters. He was not sure how much liquid fertilizer was in the tank at the time. Ryan Longhenry, chief of the Garretson Fire Department, said he believed there was contamination in the tank, because the liquid nitrogen should not have been flammable on its own. He was only two blocks away when the explosion occurred. “Two welders were working on the side of the tank from a boom truck. One of the welders was in the bucket and one was on the ground. There was definitely an explosion, which blew off the top portion of the tank, which landed about 50 yards away from the base of the tank.” Parent company CHS provided this statement from St. Paul, Minn.: “At approximately 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, the Garretson location of Eastern Farmers Cooperative experienced an explosion and fire involving a liquid fertilizer tank that was undergoing maintenance by a welder from a private contractor. The Garretson Fire Department responded promptly and extinguished the fire within a few minutes. There were no injuries, no spills, and no risks to the surrounding community. Eastern Farmers is committed to safety in all of its operations and will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of the incident.” At week’s end, CHS spokeswoman Annette Degnan said no cause had been established as yet, and the accident is still under investigation.