Quaker Oats plant fire Cedar Rapids

by Lucid Arthur: Chuck Grassley

Every worker at the Quaker Oats plant in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa got out alive, and that's the part worth leading with. The place is known as the world's largest cereal mill, and an explosion and fire hit it on the north side around 4:44 p.m. Multiple fire departments had the bulk of the blaze contained by early evening. Sen. Chuck Grassley and Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell both gave thanks to first responders. Cause is still under investigation. Nobody wants to talk about how fast an industrial fire can turn, but the escape is the story here.