Seven dust-fueled explosions caused 10 injuries and four fatalities in 2025, according to a Purdue University report. That represents a drop in incidents from the prior year, but an increase in injuries and fatalities.
Two of the explosions occurred in grain elevators. One each occurred in a feed mill, seed processing plant, biofuel plant, flour mill and farm-operated grain elevator, the report said.
Two explosions each occurred in Texas and Ohio, while Minnesota, North Dakota and Nebraska saw one each. One explosion was caused by smoldering grain, one by equipment maintenance work, one from an overheated bearing, one from dust fire, and three more from unknown sources, according to the report.
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Grain dust served as the fuel for five of the explosions, while another was fueled by wood dust. The source of the other explosion was unknown.
“The incidents occurring across a variety of agricultural industries highlight persistent vulnerabilities in explosive dust management,” Purdue Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Kingsly Ambrose said in a release. “The increase in fatalities and injuries underscores the urgent need for broader adoption of dust control practices and stronger safety interventions to prevent future injuries and loss of life.”
In 2024, there were nine grain dust explosions, though there were only two injuries and no fatalities.
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