Sheboygan Co. co-op damaged in fire

ADELL - A fire at Adell Co-op is under control after it prompted about half the village to be evacuated.

The fire was reported at 3:15 a.m. It prompted residents within a one-mile radius to be evacuated. Adell residents were allowed back in their homes about three hours after the fire was reported.

“It was really frightening for a little town like ours,” said Bea Harrison, who was one of about 250 residents to be evacuated.

“The evacuation was done just incase because we didn't know at that time exactly the chemicals that were being stored on site,” said Chief Will Schneiderwent of the Adell Fire Department.

Officials say 15 area fire departments and about 200 firefighters were on scene. They say the fire destroyed about a third of the plant, mostly warehouses for farm seed, fertilizer and chemicals.

“As far as the actual chemicals, there was no danger as far as explosive in these chemicals,” said Jerry Leick, the general manager at Adell Co-op. “They are farm chemicals used to kill weeds, some insecticides for killing insects.”

Leick says a scare came from two 120-gallon propane tanks near the fire. He says by design, the fire heated up the tanks causing pressure valves to release propane, preventing them from exploding.

“They burnt that propane up in the air, but very loud and very scary if you're down there fighting that fire,” said Leick.

Leick says the tank's pressure release likely ignited higher flames.

“I kind of had the feeling when I saw the fire was at the co-op that maybe we were going to have to leave, so I was already dressed and ready because I thought it was a possibility,” said Kathy Nytes, a resident of Adell who had to evacuate.

A safe air quality test was performed before residents were able to return home.

“I'm quite old already and that's the first time I've ever experienced something like this,” said Harrison.

Officials say the fire could have been much worse if it happened in the spring when the plant has a larger inventory of farm chemicals.

Leick says an environmental concern with the fire was the spread of the farm chemicals running into area streams.

“There is a fairly large drainage ditch on the north end of the property, so they damned up the culverts that go off our property and right now they do have a vacuum truck coming in to start removing water from that ditch,” said Leick.

The fire is still under investigation. Schneiderwent says a cause hasn’t been determined.

Leick says early estimates on damage exceed $500,000.