‘A loss to us:’ Loreburn mayor reacts to fire that destroyed grain elevator

Lawrence Casey used to look out his window during his morning coffee and see Loreburn’s grain elevator.

Now, all he sees is a 30-foot-high pile of smouldering, black charcoal.

“It’s a loss to us right now,” said Casey. “We are kind of all wondering what’s going to happen here.”

The Loreburn Fire Department confirmed the first call for the fire at the F.W. Cobs Company grain elevator came in at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Casey, Loreburn’s mayor, is apart of the community’s firefighting service and he rushed to the window when he got the call.

“I looked out the window and I could see the smoke already,” said Casey. “It was a passing motorist that phoned it in. It went quick, very quick.”

Photos on social media show huge, black clouds billowing into the sky with the elevator fully engulfed in flames.

Crews from the Davidson Volunteer Fire Department and Elbow Volunteer Fire Department both rushed to help fight the fire. Casey said around 40 people were there in total; that included community members bringing extra water trucks.

“The best possible outcome happened as the wind was calm and the wind direction kept the smoke and hot embers away from the town,” the Davidson Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post Sunday. “As the grain elevator burned it candled rather than falling over and causing fire spread.”

While crews battled the flames, Casey said many spectators came to watch.

“People will mourn it, I think,” Casey said. “It’s lost to the community.”

The grain elevator was built and began operating in the mid ’70s. Casey said the elevator had been bought by American organic grain seller F.W. Cobs Company in the 2010s.

“It’s quite sombre,” Casey said. “Everyone is wondering what the future holds for that business.”

According to the F.W. Cobs Company website, Loreburn is the sole Canadian location for the company’s grain elevator.

Loreburn has a population of around 100 people. Casey said four or five worked at the elevator, which is a hit to the community’s business base.

“We hope that people can retain their jobs and they can rebuild, but who knows?” said Casey. “The tax base in the town will suffer.

“It’s not a good outcome for anyone.”

Casey is hopeful that F.W. Cobs will rebuild in the community. The Loreburn Fire Department is continuing to monitor the fire as it smoulders.

The Loreburn and Davidson fire departments declined to comment on the fire.