Prineville hemp processing plant hit by second fire in five months; cause traced to overfilled holding tank
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The second fire in five months at a Prineville hemp processing plant had a similar cause as one that broke out this summer, but began outside the building, a fire official said. This time, the fire suppression system worked - it didn't last time, prompting a closure order - but this blaze caused more damage.
Crook County Fire & Rescue was dispatched shortly before 9 a.m. Monday to an industrial fire at Central Oregon Processing, located on N. Main Street, Division Chief and Fire Marshal Russell Deboodt said in a news release Tuesday.
Initial reports said there had been a flammable liquid spill at the plant's Isolation Building and a subsequent fire.
Fire crews arrived to find an exterior fire burning among outside mechanical equipment. The fire had also spread to the interior of the building. The fire suppression system in the building activated, and was able to control further spread of the fire until crews arrived to completely extinguish the flames.
Crews were on scene for about three hours, as they worked to cautiously ventilate the building, ensuring the flammable gas vapors still present in the structure did not reignite, Deboodt said.
A subsequent investigation determined the fire was caused by overfilling a holding tank inside the building. Due to the overfilling, flammable liquid flowed into vent piping, which terminated above the building's roof. The flammable liquid then flowed off the roof, and came in contact with an exterior electrical outlet, igniting the gas vapors.
Crook County Fire responded with two engines, an ambulance and three command vehicles, with a total of 12 firefighters. The district was assisted on scene by the Prineville Police Department and Pacific Power. Redmond Fire & Rescue provided a mutual aid ambulance for district coverage during the event.
Deboodt told KTVZ News that an investigation of the June 19 fire found that the suppression system had been turned off and was not functioning. It worked this time, but Deboodt said there was more damage, as the fire began in an exterior area not covered by sprinklers.
That led to a closure order for the plant, until the system was back in operation. The plant was operating when the fire broke out.
In both cases, he said, "flammable gas was allowed to turn to vapor and found an electrical ignition source."
The fire official said Crook County Fire & Rescue doesn't calculate losses.
