5 hurt in explosion at Idaho sugar-beet plant

Published at 12:12 pm, September 28, 2020

Jacob Scholl, Idaho Statesman

amalgamated sugar nampa statesman — Amalgamated Sugar has about 1,500 employees working at Idaho plants in Nampa, Twin Falls and Paul. Here an employee oversees sugar beets unloading from a rail car on a flume in the Nampa plant. | Katherine Jones, Idaho Statesman

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(IDAHO STATESMAN) – Five people were injured after an explosion Monday morning at the sugar-beet plant in Nampa, the company said.

The explosion was reported at the Amalgamated Sugar processing plant on Karcher Road about 7:45 a.m., said Jessica Anderson, a spokesperson for the company.

In an email, Anderson said the injuries to the five do not appear to be life-threatening. Four of those injured were treated with “minor first aid” and have returned to work, she said. One person was sent to a hospital for further examination.

Anderson said the explosion took place in the beet-pulp steam dryer. Employees were wearing fire-protection gear at the time, she said.

Anderson said the company is investigating the explosion. Damage to the plant was minimal, she said.

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