A massive fire tore through the world’s largest Quaker Oats milling facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Saturday after an apparent explosion inside the building.
The blaze erupted at the plant around 4:45 p.m. Local time, sending plumes of heavy smoke and flames billowing from the north side of the structure, according to the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. The department confirmed the fire originated from an explosion within the building, though the cause remained unknown Saturday night.
All workers on-site evacuated safely, and no injuries were reported among employees or firefighters, Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell shared on Facebook. The fire broke out in an area that handles products and is “not heavily populated with employees and team members,” O’Donnell said. “Which of course in this case was a blessing.”
It remains unclear how many workers were inside when the blaze erupted. By approximately 6:25 p.m., fire officials reported that most of the fire had been extinguished, though limited operations continued for final overhaul efforts inside the building.
The Cedar Rapids facility processes over 2 million pounds of oats each day, making it the largest milling facility of its kind in the world, according to the company’s website. Quaker Oats Company, owned by PepsiCo, is best known for its old fashioned oats.
Local residents watched the dramatic scene unfold with shock and concern. Texas resident Emilio Esquivel described the fire as “like a movie scene.”
“Seeing something like that was just like eye opening,” Esquivel told KCRG. “It was eyebrow raising. It was crazy.”
Cedar Rapids local Dan Gardner felt “terror, sadness [and] worry” upon seeing the smoke rising from the plant.
“Explosions are bad, fires are bad,” Gardner told KCRG. “Quaker Oats is a staple of this town. So we don’t want to see them blow up.”
The Cedar Rapids Fire Department shared updates on Facebook throughout the response, noting that “firefighting operations were successful in extinguishing most of the fire.” No further details about damage to the facility or potential impact on production were immediately available Saturday night.
The Quaker Oats plant has long stood as a landmark in Cedar Rapids, with its massive daily output supplying oatmeal products across the country. Saturday’s explosion marks a rare disruption at the decades-old facility, which has helped define the city’s industrial identity.
Investigators will work to determine the cause of the explosion and assess the full extent of damage to the interior of the building.