Damage was limited to that machine, and no one was hurt.

The fire was extinguished after firefighters from the regional hazardous materials team at the Fort Dodge Fire Department closed a valve that was open and allowing propane to feed the flames.

The fire was reported at about 6 p.m.

The burning machine was right next to a roughly 18,000-gallon propane tank. Firefighters initially concentrated on keeping that tank from igniting.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Flames from a fire at the NEW Cooperative facility on 250th Street in Webster County Tuesday evening were visible from U.S. Highway 169. The flames are coming from a machine which is right next to an 18,000 gallon propane tank. The blaze was extinguished with no injuries.

“Our main objective was to keep the propane tank cool,” Otho Fire Chief Marty Smith said.

To do that, firefighters emptied a 1,000-gallon water tank on a pumper and drew water from a hydrant and two tanker trucks. Smith estimated that 7,000 to 8,000 gallons of water were sprayed on and around the tank.

Once the valve was closed, firefighters were quickly able to extinguish the machine.

Smith described the machine as an evaporator. He said aluminum fittings on it melted into a puddle during the fire.

The fire started when the machine malfunctioned and leaking propane was ignited, apparently after coming in contact with a pilot light, according to Smith. He said no one was working at the site when the fire started.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Firefighters hose down the smoking remains of a machine destroyed in a Tuesday evening fire at the NEW Cooperative facility on 250th Street west of Otho.

Firefighters from Otho and Moorland responded on the initial call.

“Automatically two departments are called for every structure type fire so we have manpower, we have equipment and we have water,” Smith said.

Smith called for the hazardous materials team because of its experience with propane tanks.

Webster County sheriff’s deputies also responded.

-Submitted photo
Mike Wiltzius, a member of the regional hazardous materials team, works to close a valve on a propane tank Tuesday evening.