Cob fire pictured Monday A fire in a cob pile at The Andersons on SR25 was discovered early Saturday morning. General manager of cob products Dale Theis said Saturday the cause of the fire was unclear. He said the plant was shut down for the weekend at 5 p.m. Wednesday of last week and there were no personnel on the premises when the fire broke out.

Theis said Delphi Tri-Township Volunteer Fire Department was first to respond. However, by mid-afternoon every available truck and firefighter in Carroll County and surrounding communities were working to control the blaze.

According to an Andersons' press release, approximately 150 local responders representing 15 fire departments made the scene Saturday. The fire posed no danger to the local community and there were no injuries. Roughly 25 percent of the 17,000 tons of cob on the pile, which reached a height of approximately 10 stories, were charred or damaged as of Saturday. The value of the cobs destroyed or the impact on plant operations was not immediately known.

Theis said workers hauled away as many cobs as possible from the fire area to alleviate additional fuel for the fire. He said preliminary estimates were for the fire to last more than a week.

Saturday morning cob blaze Flames shot into the air Saturday morning at The Andersons near Delphi, as recorded by Carroll County Emergency Management Agency Director Dave McDowell. After a 10-story pile of corncobs ignited, volunteer fire crews from Carroll and surrounding counties immediately responded to the intense inferno. The fire is expected to continue to burn for weeks. Constant vigilance by firefighters is expected to maintain containment of the danger to the area. Photo provided Area Red Cross workers and the Delphi Tri-Township Fire Department Auxiliary were on the scene to provide relief to firefighters.

Delphi Tri-Township VFD Chief Denny Randle said Tuesday there were 21 departments, including the county's seven departments, working the fire since Saturday. He said the goal was to keep the fire down to protect the surrounding area.

Randle said the strategy to protect other Andersons property was to establish water barriers between the two additional cob piles in the general vicinity of the fire. The burning pile is kept wet to retard flying embers from traveling, which could spark another blaze. He said there were still no conclusions reached about the cause of the fire, however it was noted there was a lightening storm within 48 hours preceding the fire.

"The Andersons have been stepping up as to help us keep our equipment maintained," Randle said. "They are easy to work with and supportive."

Randle said neighboring cities and counties who sent trucks and personnel are to be commended. Water from the stone quarry has been used so as to not deplete the Delphi water supply more than is necessary.

Randle added local businesses have donated food for firefighters as they work tirelessly to contain the fire.