Fire destroys Bentley grain elevator

A several decades-old grain elevator in Bentley, northwest of Red Deer, is totally destroyed after fire ripped through it in the early morning hours of Dec. 23.

Located at 4701 51 Street in the small town of 1,042, calls about the elevator being on fire came in just after 1 a.m., says Bentley Fire Chief Ian McLaren.

McLaren couldn’ts speak to the cause Friday, and there’s not yet any determination about whether the fire is suspicious or not.

“We’re not sure exactly when it started, but when we arrived on scene, it was well-involved on the top part and inside,” says McLaren. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot we could do besides protect from exposure and make sure nothing else burned down.”

There were no injuries save from some potential frostbite, he says, as crews worked in the depth of a near -50 wind chill.

The cold, he notes, is not helpful, as breaks are necessary in short increments and it’s hard to get the water to go as far as usual.