June 1 (UPI) -- An explosion in a Cambria, Wis., corn mill killed one person, injured 11 and left two people missing, Columbia County officials said.
The blast late Wednesday caused a fire in the family-owned Didion Milling Inc. facility, a multi-story building that processes corn for food. The building was leveled in the explosion. An ethanol plant, which processes corn byproducts for fuel, is part of the complex.
About 16 workers were inside the plant at the time of the explosion, and only two evacuated without injury, Sheriff Dennis Roberts said. He added that 37 agencies, including firefighters and medical evacuation helicopters, arrived to handle the emergency. The Wisconsin Red Cross reported it sent a team to the site.
Cambria Village President Glen Williams said the destroyed building contained the company's laboratories, adding there was no need for evacuation of nearby homes.
Cambria is about 50 miles north east of Wisconsin's capital, Madison. Schools in the Cambia-Friesland school district closed Thursday. Power outages in the area of the explosion were reported and later restored.
