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Crook County Fire & Rescue briefs Prineville council after June 19 Building M fire at Central Oregon Processing
Summary
Crook County Fire & Rescue presented facts and safety concerns about a June 19 fire at Building M of Central Oregon Processing, saying Building M remains closed and a third-party engineer inspection is required; company representatives told the council they are committed to staff safety and mitigation.
Matt Smith, Division Chief for Crook County Fire & Rescue, introduced Fire Marshal Russ Deboodt, who read a status report on the June 19 fire at Building M at Central Oregon Processing. Division Chief Smith said CCF&R’s main concern is safety and raised concerns that employees may have been allowed to perform hazardous work without proper training; he said CCF&R met with the company's owners the same day and that "Building M is still closed."
Fire Marshal Deboodt described the systems that must be confirmed functional and said a third-party engineer is required to inspect the building before operations resume. Councilors and fire officials discussed possible ignition sources, including faulty electrical outlets, but no additional details on a confirmed cause were reported.
During Visitors, Appearances, and Requests, company representatives addressed the council. Investor Ted Swindells said he is "very committed to this community and state," noted the operation employs "up to 70 employees," and said a final review is pending next week, adding that "safety is paramount." Central Oregon Processing Production Manager Tyler Montoya thanked first responders and said he is "deeply committed to making sure the whole campus is safe." Lyndon Jones, director of facilities, said the company is working to comply with mitigation measures and clarified that the structure referenced by the fire marshal is a block building rather than a metal building and that they do not want employees in danger.
There were no public questions recorded beyond the presentation, and no one online had raised a hand. The council did not take regulatory action at the meeting; fire officials said inspections and engineering verification are required before reopening.
