According to Glen Rose Fire District Interim Chief Wes Copeland, firefighters were dispatched at 3:56 p.m. on June 27 after an explosion was reported at the plant.

When crews arrived, they found heavy fires burning in the "bag house" silos outside the building and immediately began attacking the blaze. As additional personnel arrived, firefighters entered the facility and located fire in the plant's sander machine.

Interior crews also discovered flames in the duct system connecting the sander to the silos, where the fire had spread through the dust collection system. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze both inside the plant and in the silos, utilizing drones dispatched by the Hot Spring County Department of Emergency Management to help firefighters locate lingering hot spots with their use of thermal imaging.

Crews remained on scene for approximately 3½ to 4 hours, Copeland said.

Although initial 911 dispatch reports indicated one person was down, firefighters later confirmed the building had been evacuated and all employees were accounted for. No civilian injuries were reported, and two firefighters were treated at the scene for mild heat exhaustion.

Departments assisting included Malvern, South Malvern, Rockport, Magnet Cove, Southwest, Perla, Turtle Creek, Lonsdale, Haskell, Morning Star, Sheridan and Tull fire departments, along with the Hot Spring County Sheriff's Office, Hot Spring County Office of Emergency Management and LifeNet EMS.

Copeland thanked ARAUCO personnel for their assistance during the incident, and for previously working with local fire departments to establish pre-incident plans for emergencies at the facility.