Elevator now only rubble

Springfield firefighters continue to watch site

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD -- Heavy equipment from K&M Construction of Springfield whirred and moved around what is left of the Harvest Land Cooperative elevator at the east end of downtown here Sunday afternoon.

What was once a towering structure full of corn and beans is now a pile of rubble.

On Saturday, the top of the elevator exploded at 12:40 p.m., sending a fireball of debris into the air. Before long, a raging, four-alarm fire was consuming the elevator. The cause remains under investigation.

Townspeople heard the explosion and watched the elevator burn from a distance.

Elevator employee Roger Kiecker suffered severe burns in the explosion. He was airlifted by North Air Ambulance of Redwood Falls to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Kiecker remained in critical condition Sunday with burns in the hospital's intensive care unit.

Firefighters from Comfrey, Sleepy Eye and New Ulm quickly responded to the inferno.

Springfield firefighters used every rig they had to fight the blaze.

As Springfield's city water ran low, more was brought in from Harvestland Coop's well and the Salonek Construction plant.

Springfield firefighters spent Saturday night standing guard in two six-hour shifts over the smoking elevator. Volunteers from St. Raphael's Catholic Church brought in food. Other residents including the firefighters wives kept the firefighters well fed in their new fire station across the street from the smoking elevator.

"We used lots of water, that's for sure," Springfield Assistant Fire Chief Kent Salonek said. "We stuck around, babysitting the elevator and letting it burn."

Firefighters planned to watch the elevator in shifts again Sunday night.

"It should smother itself out," Salonek said.

Ironically, a wood elevator with steel panels burned down at the same site about 30 years ago.

Springfield Lanes, located just north of the elevator site, closed Saturday during the blaze, postponing two parties. The bowling opened business as usual Sunday.

"Many people were a lot more affected by the fire than we were," bowling alley owner Corwin Brand said. "It's getting back to normal now. We'll reschedule the parties and everything will be fine."