By Jon Adamy, Farm News Media

January 12, 2023

What kind of fire takes 7.5 million gallons of water to get under control — and keeps burning?

One fueled by 3 million bushels of corn.

It’s been 25 days since a fire engulfed a massive grain storage dome operated by The Andersons Inc. in Hemlock — just West of Saginaw — requiring more than 150 firefighters from across Michigan to rush to the small town to fight the towering flames.

Rob Grose watched the night of Dec. 18, 2022, as fire crews tendered in water from nearby Thomas Township, running “like clockwork” to move the initial 3.4 million gallons in to douse the blaze.

“I'm truly proud of our fire department,” said Grose, who serves as the supervisor of Richland Township, which encompasses Hemlock.

“They really went above and beyond here. Same thing with mutual aid throughout the state. It was like clockwork, like they worked together for years. It was just amazing.”

All told, there were more than 80 fire departments that helped in the immediate aftermath. While those crews have long since returned home, the cause of the fire still hasn’t been determined.