Minimal damage was the result following a smoldering incident at the West Central Cooperative in Jefferson earlier today.

Fire Chief Randy Love tells Raccoon Valley Radio the fire department responded to a report of a conveyor belt smoldering inside a grain shoot at 10:06am Tuesday.

Two firefighters and two West Central employees took panels off the shoot to access the hot spots and were able to put them out with fire extinguishers.  The situation was contained without any flames or explosions.  No one was hurt in the incident.  Chief Love believes the smoldering was the result of a bearing malfunction inside a motor on the conveyor belt, as it made contact with the grain.

Love adds that they will be back out to West Central with their thermal cameras to verify that all the hot spots are extinguished.  The department has two cameras that can look inside walls and other materials to find hot spots for firefighters to put out.  Love notes that they use their thermal cameras not only at businesses but at residential houses too.  They look behind outlets and appliances if someone reports smoldering or smoke coming from their home.  Love comments that its a great tool to help them prevent fires from happening.

The Greene County Sheriff’s office, Greene County Emergency Medical Services and the Jefferson Police Department also assisted at the scene.