911 calls released on explosion in La Crosse

Cause of explosion at Midwest Fuels under investigation

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — La Crosse County Emergency Services there were 43 911 calls in the first 10 minutes of the explosion on La Crosse’s north side Wednesday morning.

Emergency Services Manager Jay Loeffler said not all of the 43 calls were related, but the vast majority were on the explosion, which happened just before 7 a.m. at Midwest Industrial Asphalt on Sumner Street.

Some 911 callers said the incident happened at Hydrite Chemical Company. The explosion happened at Midwest Industrial Asphalt. It owns a sister company called Midwest Fuels that operates on the property.

One person was injured from the explosion and has been released from the hospital. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

La Crosse County Emergency Services provided News 8 with the following 911 calls on the explosion:

La Crosse County Dispatch: 911. What is the address of your emergency?
911 Caller: Pacal Industries. There is a fire at the oil tanks, I guess just north of it. We had a huge explosion. I see flames on top of one of the tanks right now.
Dispatch: So it’s just to the north of Pacal?
911 Caller: Yep, and large black smoke with flames.
Dispatch: All right, we’ve got everybody going. Do you know what’s actually on fire? Is it the tanks that are on fire?
Caller: It looks like the top of the tanks.
Dispatch: Is anybody in the vicinity? Any people around?
Caller: No, I’m about 400 yards away. I can’t really see it.  But I think I’m going evacuate Pacal and get the hell out of here.
Dispatch: Sounds good. I’ll let you go then. Thanks. Bye.
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La Crosse County Dispatch: 911  What is the address of your emergency?
Caller: On Sumner Street , Hydrite. There was a big boom and there’s a fire going on. Hydrite Chemical. I’m calling from Copeland Avenue. […] You can see the black smoke billowing.
Dispatch: All right. We’ve got people on their way.
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La Crosse County Dispatch: 911. What is the address of your emergency?
911 Caller: Ah, it’s Hydrite Chemical on Sumner Street. We just had a huge explosion. One of the tanks back there (inaudible) I just got the hell out of there real quick. I heard a big boom and saw the coper tank go flying.
Dispatch: Was it inside Hydrite or where?
Caller: No, it’s outside the place.
Dispatch: Outside. Okay, we’re on our way.
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La Crosse County Dispatch: 911  What is the address of your emergency?
911 Caller: I’m over here. I work at the Canadian Pacific railyard. It looks like Midwest Fuels’ got a big fire going. There’s black smoke coming out and there’s a fire rolling.
Dispatch: Okay, we’re going to have the fire going on it.
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La Crosse County Dispatch: 911  What is the address of your emergency?
911 Caller: This is Matt with Brennan Marine. There seems to have been an explosion over by Cargill Grains.
Dispatch: Is that by Pacal or in that area? 700 Sumner?
Caller: Possibly. I can see smoke rising.
Dispatch: Okay, we’ve got everybody on the way down there.