“Hot Spot” At Grain Bin Prompts Cimarron Evacuation

Downtown Cimarron, Kan., south of Highway 50, has been evacuated as a precaution as authorities investigate a possible hot spot inside a local grain bin.

Thursday morning, elevator superintendent Austin Goering noticed the outside of the bin was hot, Gray County Emergency Management said in a news release. He knew then that the grain inside the bin had a “hot spot.”

Crews are currently removing grain from the bin by hand and spraying water to control the dust, officials said. Efforts are expected to continue well into the night.

Kansas Highway 23 is closed south of the U.S. 50 junction, and traffic is being detoured on local roads.

The Pride Ag Resources bin has a 3,300-bushel capacity and had around 2,000 bushels inside at the time of the incident.

Agencies assisting include Pride Ag employees, Gray County Emergency Management, Cimarron Fire Department, Gray County Road Dept., Gray County Sheriff’s Dept., BNSF, and other city and county employees.