On 20 July 2022, a dust explosion occurred inside a grain dryer, causing a flash fire at the relief vent.
A worker who was near the vent at the time of the explosion suffered burn injuries on his elbow.
The dryer was intended to heat spent grains within its container to remove moisture. During
handling and movement, the grains generated smaller grain particles. As the grains and their
particles were heated, a combustible dust cloud formed within the confined space of the dryer.
Preliminary investigation revealed that an ignition source was present within the dryer and the
inadequate explosion protection for the dryer led to inadvertent venting, causing the worker’s burn
injuries.