Eric Michael Hosette

At 9546hrs, Clinton Fire Department units were dispatched to a report of a fire in an agricultural silo.  When units arrived on-scene, plant staff told them that a fire had been discovered in a pellet silo that had recently been cleaned.  Initially, firefighters applied water through an opening at the base of the silo but did not seem to be making much progress on the fire.

The decision was made by command to apply water onto the fire from above.  A supply line was laid to a ladder truck positioned near the silo and a handline was extended from the tip of the ladder over a catwalk to a 4-foot by 4-foot hatch at the top of the silo.  At approximately 0850hrs, as firefighters flowed water from the handline into the upper hatch, an explosion occurred.

Lieutenant Hosette, who had been working at the top of the silo, was thrown off of the silo in the explosion.  His fall was witnessed by other firefighters and they came to his aid immediately.  Lieutenant Hosette was transported by fire department ambulance to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.  The cause of death was listed as blunt force chest and abdominal injuries.

Incident Location: Upper Mississippi River at mile marker 518 (U.S. National Grid: 15T YG 29870 32167 (DD: 41.808, -90.232))