Tyson Foods experienced a failure of a corn storage silo at their Sedalia, MO. feed mill on June 7th. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and the collapse was attributed to structural failure. The event resulted in management having to cease operations until temporary repairs could be completed.
The incident points to the need to regularly inspect silos, bins, elevators and other structures that may be impacted by weather extremes, especially with the advent of the hurricane season. Regular evaluation by a qualified engineer is recommended especially for older structures where corrosion may have reduced structural integrity.