At 0708 this morning emergency crews received reports of smoke from a grain elevator in the area of 100 East Main Street. Emergency personnel identified fire coming from the grain elevator located in the 100 block of Northern Pacific Avenue

Law enforcement officers from the Belgrade Police Department arrived on scene quickly and reported smoke and fire. Central Valley Fire District crews arrived on scene at approximately 0710 and began fire suppression activities.

Approximately 25 minutes after arrival, the main leg of the elevator collapsed, and crews moved to defensive fire operations. A total of 3 tower ladders responded and flowed water onto the fire for approximately 4 hours.

Emergency crews remained on scene throughout the day. Crews were challenged by gaining access to the seat of the fire, and heavy equipment was ordered to the scene. Upon arrival, heavy equipment began to move materials through the scene allowing crews to extinguish hot spots and make progress.

The incident remains active at this time, as crews continue to work to gain access to the seat of the fire located within the grain silo.  There is expected to be emergency crews on scene throughout the night.

The Belgrade Police Department and Central Valley Fire District are very thankful for the support provided by the community during this incident, as well as the support provided from outside agencies. The following agencies assisted with this incident:

American Medical Response, Amsterdam Rural Fire, Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, Belgrade Police Department, Belgrade Public Works, Belgrade School District, Big Sky Fire Department, Bozeman Fire Department, Bozeman Public Works, Central Valley Fire District, Gallatin County 911, Gallatin County Emergency Management, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Gallatin Gateway Fire District, Hyalite Rural Fire District, Livingston Fire, Manhattan Volunteer Fire Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Northwestern Energy, and Rocky Mountain Supply.

A team of investigators is on site from the Belgrade Police Department, Central Valley Fire District, and the Montana State Fire Marshal’s Office. At this time, investigators are awaiting access to the area once deemed safe to do so. The cause remains under investigation at this time.

For information related to this incident please contact Belgrade Police Chief Dustin Lensing at dlensing@belgradepolice.net or Central Valley Fire District Interim Fire Marshal Jake Zlomie at jzlomie@centralvalleyfire.com. Additional information will be provided as available.