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Fertilizer fire put out at western Iowa co-op site

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May 2nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

HORNICK, Iowa (AP) – Residents in the western Iowa town of Hornick have returned to their homes after a fertilizer fire at a co-op building.  The fire at the Western Iowa Cooperative broke out Tuesday afternoon. The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office was concerned about air quality and residents’ safety and urged the evacuation as a precaution.  Co-op general manager John Bender says a phosphorus-based fertilizer is stored in the building but the building was 90 percent empty, however. Fire officials say the fire was under control within an hour. No injuries were reported.  Hornick, which has about 220 residents, is around 30 miles southeast of Sioux City.