Chemical shed storing Roundup, 2,4-D catches fire at Full Circle Ag in Pierpont

Day County firefighters were in Pierpont much of the day Wednesday working to put out a fire at Full Circle Ag.

Firefighters were called around 11:30 a.m. for a report of a fire in the chemical storage shed and remained on site well into the evening before turning over supervision of the site to Full Circle Ag around 8:30 p.m., Day County Emergency Management Director Bryan Anderson said.

No injuries were reported, he said, and the cause of the fire is unknown.

Chemicals in the shed that caught on fire included Roundup and 2,4-D. Both are herbicides.

By 12:30 p.m., flames had spread to the nearby office building, but firefighters were able to protect a seed building to the south. 

Fire departments from Pierpont, Webster, Andover, Bristol and Langford were on scene, and the Britton fire department was on standby in case additional water was needed, Anderson said. The hazardous materials response team from Aberdeen Fire & Rescue also responded to help coordinate cleanup of hazardous materials. Anderson said since the ground is still frozen, cleanup should be minimal.

State Highway 27 was blocked Wednesday, and traffic was directed around the area, he said.

The fire originated in the chemical shed, and smoke rose to 1,000 feet before moving to the southeast, he said. That meant toxic fumes from the chemicals were not a concern, he said.

The materials in storage were not combustible, Anderson said, and the nearby propane tank had been turned off.