A narrative of the January 5 fire that resulted in the death of one Clinton firefighter and critical injury of another suggests that the men didn’t need to be on top of the silo at all.
Seconds before the explosion in the grain silo, an Archer Daniels Midland official told the Clinton Fire Department that he believed that water could have been applied through a side hatch as CFD had originally planned, according to an incident narrative report by the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration. ADM officials had adamantly advised against opening the hatch.
The report is part of OSHA’s investigation into the Clinton Fire Department. Reports from investigations into ADM and Bill Whitter’s Construction are not available because those cases remain open.
OSHA opened an investigation into the Clinton Fire Department Monday, Jan. 7. Investigators met with Fire Chief Mike Brown, Union Secretary Ryan Winkler, Battalion Chief Greg Forari, and Clinton Mayor Mark Vulich.