TRAILL COUNTY, N.D. — More than a dozen fire departments across North Dakota have battled two grain elevator fires over the last two weeks.

Between the Mayville fire on Saturday , Nov. 15, and the Hatton fire on Nov. 5 , more than 100 volunteer firefighters spent hours hosing down the flames.

Mayville’s fire chief says the sunflowers and sunflower oil inside the Mayville elevator’s wood and tin structure created a volatile environment.

“I was at the hall within a minute, probably out the door with apparatus within, you know, a total of five minutes, and there was already fire showing on out of the top of the building,” said Rich Hart, Mayville Fire Chief.

There were no reported injuries from either elevator fire.

The causes of both fires remain under investigation.

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