Fire breaks out at Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids, no injuries reported

A fire erupted Saturday at the Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, according to ABC News. The Cedar Rapids Fire Department reported that the fire appeared to have started with an explosion around 4:45 p.m.

Video and photos shared on social media showed black smoke over the city, which has a population of about 140,000. The fire occurred in a part of the building that handles products and is not heavily populated by employees, the city's mayor said.

All workers evacuated safely and were accounted for without injuries, the mayor added. PepsiCo Foods US, which owns Quaker Oats, stated that fire responders attended the scene and that the cause of the fire would be investigated.

The Quaker Oats facility in Cedar Rapids is the largest milling facility worldwide, processing over 2 million pounds of oats daily. The brand will mark its 150th anniversary in 2027 and is owned by PepsiCo.