Schrum Ready Mix in Caledonia damaged by fire

CALEDONIA – A first-alarm commercial fire damaged the closed Schrum Ready Mix facility located at 22885 Highway 21 shortly after midnight Saturday.

According to Caledonia Fire Captain Tim Allen, first responders at the Caledonia firehouse could see flames cresting above the trees. When they got to the scene the batch plant was fully engulfed.

“We could see the flames over the trees from our firehouse. When we got there we were faced with a locked gate. We had to go around the locked gate, but our engine was the first on the scene. We were probably there two minutes and the building collapsed,” Allen said.

After the building collapse, firefighters took a defensive stance to keep the fire from spreading. Electricity was connected to the building, but was quickly disconnected. A nearby lift was also on fire. No firefighters or civilians were injured in the incident.

Firefighters were able to get water from a nearby creek and no water supply problems were reported

The plant had been closed for several years. Damage to the batch plant area resulted in what was deemed a “total loss”.

A cause of the blaze is pending determination by the state fire marshal’s office.

Departments from Pilot Knob, Belgrade, Bismarck, Irondale, Leadwood and Farmington assisted.