Fire damages Central Oregon Seeds Inc. in Madras; firefighter injured as crews on scene well into the night

(Update: More details from fire official; firefighter injured; comment from COSI CEO)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A major, stubborn fire broke out Monday evening and heavily damaged Central Oregon Seeds Inc., a grass and vegetable seed cleaning operation in Madras, prompting a call-out for assistance from several fire departments around the region and leading to an injury to one firefighter.

The fire was reported around 6:35 p.m. at the facility on Northwest Mill Street, off Highway 26, Jefferson County Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Blake said.

Deputy Chief of Prevention said the first crews to arrive found heavy smoke coming from the north end of the 36,000-square-foot structure.

Crews made access inside and found a working fire along the roof structure and in the walls of large grain storage bins used to store grass seed, Earnest said. Because of the construction of the wooden grain bins and volume of fire, more crews were called out.

One firefighter was injured but is expected to recover, Earnest said, unable to divulge more details due to federal patient privacy law.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office was helping with the investigation into the cause of the blaze.

Blake said the fire broke out “in part of the plant with bins they fill with seed,” although there were “no seeds, just a bunch of dust” in the area when the fire began.

Some three hours later, firefighters were still reportedly finding some active flames in void spaces in the large facility. But the fire was stopped in other areas and overhaul operations were getting underway.

A representative of COSI said Tuesday the fire was contained to one end of the building and they had power and open for business.

Central Oregon Seeds Inc. CEO Ken Stout told NewsChannel 21 they were "pretty fortunate that damage was limited due to the responders' great work."

Earnest said the Bend, Cloverdale, Sisters-Camp Sherman and Black Butte fire agencies assisted firefighting efforts with crews and apparatus, while the Redmond and Crook County agencies sent crews to help with fire district coverage, to handle other 911 calls. Cloverdale RFPD Fire Chief Thad Olsen said their crew was on scene until around 2 a.m.