Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating last Friday afternoon’s explosion and fire at the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) plant, located at 10868 189th Street in rural Council Bluffs. The explosion and fire happened at around 3:30-p.m., while a fuel tanker truck was being loaded with fuel. The driver of the truck was severely injured by the explosion and was flown by LifeFlight to the University of Nebraska Hospital’s Burn Unit. The victim is in critical but stable condition and continues to be treated at this time. The name of the victim will be released by his company (CHS) when all family members have been notified.

The Lewis Township Fire Department, along with fire departments from Council Bluffs, Treynor, Offutt Air Force Base, and approximately seven (7) other fire departments responded to the explosion.

Authorities say this is an on-going investigation by the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) State Fire Marshal Division (SFM), the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, and the Council Bluffs Fire Department.

Currently, there is no specific cause has been determined for the explosion/fire.