UPDATED: GCFD 5 responds to Basic American Foods fire

Editor’s note: This story has been updated throughout with information provided by Grant County Fire District 5. We will continue to follow up as more information becomes available. Clarifications on titles and responders has been included as well.

MOSES LAKE – A fire broke out at the Basic American Foods facility just south of Moses Lake Tuesday evening. Grant County Fire District 5 and Moses Lake Fire Department responded to the blaze at about 8:30 p.m. and had the fire under control at about 10:30 p.m., GCFD 5 Battalion Chief Bob Horst said.

“The fire is out and crews still have some pretty extensive overhaul and mop-up,” Horst said in a call to the Herald shortly before midnight Tuesday.

Horst said the fire appears to have originated near the pre-driers that preheat air brought into the facility from outside in order to remove moisture during the cooler months. There air is then subsequently used to dehydrate lentils and potatoes. Filters in that system had burned, but there was no confirmation regarding a cause. The Grant County Fire Marshal was expected to inspect the site Wednesday in the daylight to see if a cause could be determined with any surety.

Horst said no injuries of Basic American Foods staff were reported to him, but American Medical Response paramedics were at the scene on standby in case medical transport was needed. Additionally, no first responders were injured.

Fire and water damage were extensive on the second and third floor with additional water damage on the first floor, he said. The water damage came about as a result of water being used to fight the fire.

A Tuesday statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said ladder trucks, which have large nozzles mounted to them, were used to fight the fires on upper stories.

The Moses Lake Fire Department responded to the fire as a backup agency, bringing one tower apparatus and two command staff to the scene, Horst said. GCFD 5 brought eight engines, eight tenders and four command staff to the blaze.

Much of the fire burned near the roof with the fire burning between the concrete structure and the vinyl roofing on top of the building, he said.

A delay was caused in fighting the fire due to electrical systems needing to be turned off, Horst said. Several circuits in the building use 480-volt lines which were shorting out and Grant County PUD was only able to cut power with the aid of plant personnel.

“The problem was, the PUD can only shut off everything to the whole facility,” Horst said.

Cutting that power would have cut power to water pumps being used to fight the fire, so Basic American Foods staff had to shut down portions of the plant while keeping the water pump powered.

Nearby residents said they smelled smoke at or a little before 9 p.m.

Basic American Foods produces dehydrated potato flakes used to make mashed potatoes and dehydrated pinto beans used in producing refried beans at the facility.

During a tour with Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Yakima, last July, managers at the facility said the company was looking to bring in more automation to the facility.

No dollar estimate of the damage or impact on the facility’s operations was available by press time.

The Grant County Fire Marshal and Basic American Foods were both contacted by the Columbia Basin Herald but did not respond prior to press time. We will continue to cover this story as more information becomes available.

R. Hans Miller may be reached at editor@columbiabasinherald.com.