The aftermath of the fire that scorched the granary at Dentinger Feed and Seed. (The Enterprise/Pat Caldwell)
Vale — The fire that blazed through the Dentinger Feed and Seed granary Saturday was accidental, said Casey Kump, deputy state fire marshal.
“We interviewed witnesses, the business owners, firefighters, and watched multiple videos, all of which were consistent with an accidental fire that started near the product bins towards the east side of the business,” Kump in an email statement to the Malheur Enterprise.
Kump worked with Vale Fire Chief Jess Tolman and other members of the Vale City and Rural Fire Department to investigate the blaze, which destroyed a community feed mill. Tolman couldn’t be reached for comment.
He noted that there were no injuries or fatalities, as Dentinger’s granary was “closed and locked” on Saturday.
Interviews with witnesses and videos captured during the blaze suggested that the fire started somewhere high, according to Kump.
“It was first witnessed up around some structural beams near the product bins to the east side of the business,” said Kump.
However, the weight of the equipment and materials that had collapsed into the area prevented investigators from ruling out items that might have had a direct role in igniting the fire, said Kump.