Firefighters from the York Fire Department, assisted by the Waco Volunteer Fire Department, responded to a commercial fire at the Green Plains ethanol plant in York on October 25, 2026. Crews were dispatched around 11:35 a.m. after smoke was reported coming from a baghouse in the facility’s grain-handling system. Firefighters used the plant’s water system and specialized equipment to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported.
According to the York Fire Department, an investigation found evidence consistent with an explosion in a grain leg that may have traveled through the equipment and ignited a secondary fire in the baghouse. Facility data showed a rapid temperature increase before the incident, and plant personnel reportedly had to manually shut down operations when an automatic shutdown system failed to activate.
The fire temporarily halted harvest operations at the facility. Officials say damage and repair costs have not yet been determined. The York Fire Department credited Green Plains personnel, the Waco Volunteer Fire Department, and York County Dispatch for their assistance during the response.
