TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Investigators were looking into the cause of a Thanksgiving Day fire that signficiantly damanged a longtime maker and distributor of grain and feed in Indiana.

Graham Feed Co. in Terre Haute is still in business in a limited capacity despite the feed mill portion of the business being destroyed.

Quality Manager Ben Furlong said feed from other mills is getting brought in to fill orders placed before the fire and meet the current needs of existing customers.

“These companies we’re working with have been excellent to try and help us out,” he said.

Emergency responders were called about 10 p.m.

Fire Department spokesman Nick Arnold said at least two aerial trucks were used to spray water onto the blaze from up above. It took about two hours to bring the fire under control but firefighters were there well into the next day putting out hotspots and later returned, occasionally, to put out flames whenever they rekindled.

He said firefighters also worked aggressively to prevent the fire from spreading to a connected warehouse area that stores livestock feed.

Arnold said he went to the site four days later and discovered the fire continuing to smolder despite about five inches of weekend snowfall.

“There was still quite a bit of steam coming off the pile of debris,” he said.

Arnold said a significant portion of the office space and multiple silos containing various amounts of grain were also damaged. Some of the burning silos wound up on the ground.

“Some were full. Some were half full,” he said.

Arnold said the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office along with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in trying to determine the cause of the fire and where it started.

He said heavy machinery was used to move parts of the building that collapsed to help firefighters reach lingering hotspots with water.

Arnold said the same type of equipment will be used to help investigators comb through the rubble in their attempt to uncover the cause and origin of the blaze.

“I’m sure there will be more heavy equipment on site as the investigation gets a little bit more in depth,” he said.

For over 70 years, Graham Feed Co., with three mixing lines, has manufactured feed for horses, cattle, poultry, pigs, caged small animals and wild birds.

There’s also a farm store offering a wide array of wild bird products, pet foods, animal health products like dewormers and shampoos along with miscellaneous items such as feed pans, tank deicers and halters.

The farm store is housed in a separate building and was not damaged in the fire.

Tyler Nettles, 22, said he was at home watching TV with his girlfriend when they kept hearing the sirens of fire trucks and other emergency response vehicles.

Eventually, he looked out a window and spotted the fire at the company about 150 yards from his residence. Nettles said he immediately stepped out his front door to see “the entire roof was completely on fire. It was like a giant orange ball in the sky,” he said.

Nettles said he watched the entire roof collapse about 30 minutes later. “It was kind of scary,” he said.

Several streets leading to the facility were closed to allow firefighters to work the blaze as safely as possible. 

Furlong said no decisions have been made yet on rebuilding, but the plan is to remain in business in some form or fashion.

“Where that goes and how that evolves in the future that’s still yet to be determined but we’re here for the long haul,” he said.