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When a silo collapses, the consequences extend far beyond structural damage alone. These catastrophic failures pose severe risks to employee safety, environmental compliance, and a company’s operational continuity, often resulting in costly interruptions and extensive recovery efforts.

Grain bin entrapment remains one of the deadliest and most preventable hazards in American agriculture. Despite advances in safety equipment and awareness, incidents continue to occur at an alarming rate—often in seconds, with tragic outcomes.

A big thanks to John Way and the entire team at the Bozrah Volunteer Fire Company for their continued support on the corn bin fire in Franklin, CT. It’s an honor to work alongside this team as we continue emptying this bin. The Gladiators at West Side Salvage, LLC are incredibly appreciative of all the fire departments and government agencies who are part of this effort.

Grain bin fires and explosions are persistent hazards in the agriculture and grain handling industries, posing serious risks to workers, facilities, and the supply chain. While these incidents may not always make national headlines, they do happen and they can have devastating consequences—causing injuries, fatalities, and millions of dollars in damage each year.

Silo cleaning is a challenging field for service providers: while most facility managers and agricultural operators know they should work with a professional silo cleaning company, it can be hard to choose between them.

A silo blockage happens when the material inside a silo becomes obstructed. The material inside of the silo will often cause a “bridge” or “arch” across the opening or pasting itself to the walls. This obstruction prevents the efficient and effective discharge of the contents.

Silo fires and explosions are devastating events that can lead to significant damage, loss of life, and financial setbacks. Understanding the causes of these incidents is crucial for preventing them. At West Side Salvage, we specialize in reducing these risks by offering expert silo cleaning and maintenance services. Here’s what you need to know about the causes of silo fires and explosions—and how regular cleaning can help prevent them.

We are excited to announce Dale Vinsand has joined West Side Salvage, LLC as our Chief Operating Officer. Dale has deep industry experience and has held progressive leadership roles throughout his career. This is the next step in his journey and we are incredibly happy he has chosen to join our team. 👏 👏

What a great CEC show put on by the National Grain and Feed Association in Kansas City. We were honored to be a part of it. It was great meeting some new contacts including Steve Hermann and Scott Morris, CSP, SMS from ProValue Insurance and Dustin Loseke and his crew from Scoular.

The conference’s focus on safety was highlighted by presentations from Andrea Koch, Matt Surdick, Jason Eardley, Craig Froehling, and many others. The team at West Side Salvage, LLC learned about trends in the industry and enjoyed the networking!