At 9:27 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, the Fargo Fire Department responded to a report of a natural gas explosion at a food processing plant in the 300 block of 40th Street North.
Before fire crews arrived, the plant was evacuated and the natural gas line was shut off. Firefighters are still on scene extinguishing smoldering material in the explosion area to prevent any further fire spread.
During the explosion, one person received injuries that were not life-threatening and was transported by ambulance to a local medical facility. Another person was evaluated for injuries at the scene but declined transport to a medical facility.
Crews received initial reports on site that a natural gas explosion had occurred. However, through the course of an investigation, it was determined that a natural gas explosion did not occur. The investigation determined that a dust explosion occurred involving one of the storage bins in the facility. A cost estimate of the damage is not available at this time.
The Fargo Fire Department responded with four engines, a ladder truck and two command vehicles. The Fargo Police Department and Sanford Ambulance provided assistance at the scene.