Firefighter dies battling blaze at a grain processing plant in eastern Iowa
Alex Ivanisevic, Des Moines Register
January 6, 2019
An eastern Iowa firefighter died Saturday morning after an explosion at a grain processing facility, local station KWQC reports.
A fire at the ADM Grains facility in Clinton reportedly led to an explosion, according to the company.
The incident led to the death of 33-year-old Lt. Eric Hosette, Fire Chief Mike Brown with the Clinton Fire Department said during a press conference in Clinton Saturday night.
Hosette was with the fire department for 12 years and has a wife and young daughter. He was taken to Mercy Medical Center and medical crews made efforts to revive him but were unsuccessful.
Firefighter Adam Cain, 23, was reportedly missing after the explosion but was then found. He was taken to Iowa City for treatment and he is now in a critical but stable condition, Brown said.
The fire chief tearfully recalled what happened that morning and said firefighters from other agencies have offered to cover the work shifts of the Clinton firefighters so that they can be at home with their families at this time.
Representatives for ADM Grains in a statement to KWQC offered thoughts and prayers for the families of "these brave firefighters."
“They put their lives in danger every day, and it's hard to express how much we appreciate their selfless help in a time of need," the statement said. "We greatly appreciate the quick response, bravery and dedication of all of the emergency responders today. We are deeply saddened at the turn of events.”
During the conference, Clinton City Administer Matt Brooke said Clinton is working with ADM to investigate what caused the explosion.
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CLINTON, Iowa (AP), CBS2/Fox 28 Staff —
A firefighter who died while fighting a blaze at a grain storage facility is being remembered in the eastern Iowa communities he served.
Mourners lined the streets of Clinton Sunday as the body of 33-year-old fire Lt. Eric Hosette returned home. He died Saturday while battling Saturday's fire at the ADM grain facility in Clinton, Iowa, and 23-year-old firefighter Adam Cain was injured.
Judy Schaley says she stood on a street corner to show the firefighters she is grateful for the work they do for the community.
Hosette was a 12-year veteran of the Clinton fire department, and he was elected in December to serve as chief of the volunteer fire department in Charlotte about 20 miles northwest of Clinton.
Some Iowa fire departments and residents are "shining red for Clinton." They're lighting their front porches red to honor Hosette and wish for a speedy recovery for Cain.
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OSHA investigating explosions at ADM plants in Iowa and Illinois
by Luke Cleary
January 8, 2019
CLINTON, Iowa -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has confirmed that it has launched two separate investigations into explosions at ADM corn processing plants in Iowa and Illinois over the weekend.
One firefighter was killed and one other was injured Saturday in a fire and explosion at the ADM facility in Clinton, Iowa.
Hours earlier, an explosion occurred at another ADM corn plant in Decatur, Illinois. No one was hurt.
The explosion at the Illinois plant comes just two months after another fire and explosion in the grain elevator that serves the company's corn and soybean plants at the Decatur complex.
The OSHA area director in Peoria, Illinois, Barry Salerno, confirmed to News Eight that an inspection of the facility has been initiated.
Iowa Labor Commissioner Michael Mauro said an OSHA investigation has begun at the Clinton plant as well. He said he would be contacting federal officials about cooperation with the Illinois area office.
In May of last year, a worker at the ADM plant in Clinton was severely injured when part of a boom truck came into contact with a high voltage power line there. The last fatal accident at the facility occurred in July of 2016, when a man was killed at the company's railroad switchyard.