Putting out the fire was difficult

CALDWELL - Fire investigators believe they now know what caused a fire that destroyed the Land O'Lakes Purina Feed plant in Caldwell Sunday night.

Crews were still on the scene today as the fire continued to smolder.

Caldwell Fire Prevention officer Karine Aebi tells NewsChannel 7 that plant employees were working in the maintenance shop on Friday with a chop saw and some of the metal shavings fell into a pile of sawdust. They continued to smolder for about 48 hours before igniting and catching the plant on fire.

The fire broke out just before 5 p.m. Sunday at the plant on 223 Main Street in Caldwell.

Sixty firefighters from around the area helped fight the four-alarm blaze.

Fire crews contained the fire to the building and remained on sight overnight.

No one was in the building when the fire started.

One firefighter was checked out at West Valley Medical Center because he felt light headed.

No other injuries were reported.

Hundreds of tons of grain and beans inside building continued smoldering through the night and on into Monday afternoon.

The cause is being listed as accidental. Aebi says seven people worked at the plant.

Flames seen across the Valley