Early Friday morning fire reported at Sunflower Power Plant

Garden City, KS–Just before 2 a.m. Friday, the Garden City Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at Sunflower Power Plant in Holcomb.

After arriving, firefighters observed no signs of smoke or fire on the outside of the power plant, but employees led firefighters inside and reported that the fire was located within the walls at the top of the coal tower.

Fire crews used thermal imaging cameras to identify hotspots and subsequently cut trenches into the walls and ceiling before fully extinguishing the fire. It was learned that employees had been performing grinding work on the walls, which is believed to have ignited the insulation and initiated the fire. There were no injuries reported from the incident.