Wisconsin Butter Fire

Last updated

Wisconsin Butter Fire
DateMay 3, 1991;33 years ago (1991-05-03)
TimeApproximately 3:30 pm
Location Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Coordinates 43°05′00″N89°18′33″W / 43.08333°N 89.30917°W / 43.08333; -89.30917
CauseAccidental fire
DeathsNone

The Wisconsin butter fire, also known as the butter flood, great cheese fire, [1] and great butter fire, [2] was a fire and flood of processed meat and dairy that began on May 3, 1991, at a large storage facility in Madison, Wisconsin. The fire continued for eight days; there were no fatalities, but it caused millions of dollars in damages. The incident is known as the biggest commercial fire in Wisconsin state history [3] and the Madison Fire Department's biggest and most expensive challenge. [4] [2] [5]

Contents

Background

The fire occurred as America's butter surplus was near its peak, when the US government purchased excess quantities of government cheese and butter in efforts to keep prices stable. Due to the overzealous government purchasing, farmers increased production of milk and butterfat by 30 percent between 1974 and 1990 even though consumer demand was not increasing. A Wisconsin Daily State Journal article titled "The butter cup runneth over" from April 1990 reported that 330 million pounds (150,000 tonnes ) of dairy products were sitting in warehouses. [6]

The fire and the flood

First flames

On May 3, 1991, flames broke out in the late afternoon at the Central Storage and Warehouse Company on Cottage Grove Road, [2] a 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m2) complex that stored 10 to 15 million pounds (4,500 to 6,800 tonnes) of government surplus butter. [2] [7] At the time of the fire, the building also stored Ocean Spray cranberries and "millions and millions of hot dogs", according to an employee. [7] Oscar Mayer stored 4 million pounds (1,800 tonnes) of sausages in the facility. [7] Building owner Ken Williams stated that the fire grew so quickly that "the sprinkler systems were not able to even work." [3] According to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources report, the damages included bakery products, hams, and 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of anhydrous ammonia. [5] It took about twenty hours to contain the blaze, and eight days until the fire was officially out. [7]

A firefighter reported flames 300 feet (91 m) high. There were about twenty-five employees present at the factory, and none were injured. [7]

Due to the thick, fatty pool of dairy, ladder trucks could not effectively enter and leave the area, nor could fuel trucks enter to refill the ladder trucks' gas tanks. Instead, mechanics traveled through the butter river on foot with five-US-gallon (19 L; 4.2 imp gal) buckets of diesel fuel. [5] Spraying water at the building caused more gooey melted cheese and butter to flow out. [5] Nearly 3,000 nearby Madison residents were evacuated on Friday night and moved to a high school because firefighters thought the flames might spread. [7] The neighbors reported a horrible stench. [7]

Butter flood

After about two and a half hours, the fire spread to a second factory building. Five hours later the building collapsed, creating a massive wave of melted butter. The fire threatened the facility's anhydrous ammonia tanks. [5] "Once the walls caved in, [the butter] came out like a river", said fire lieutenant Berggren. [2] City Engineering crews constructed levees to contain the dairy and lard. [7]

Firefighters had to wade through viscous, slippery pools of butter and cheese that were two to three feet (60 to 90 cm) high with five-foot (1.5 m) deep ponds in some places. [5] The melted dairy made it difficult to use typical equipment, so firefighters remained outside the building, trudging upstream through a hot flow. [2] Firefighter Steven Davis reported having "butter in places a guy shouldn't have butter by the end of that night." [8]

Cleanup and legacy

The Environmental Protection Agency states that butter spills have similar effects on wildlife to petroleum-based oil spills. [9] The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources worked to prevent the river of cream and cheese from clogging tubes and polluting local bodies of water. [5] To contain the sludgy runoff of dairy, it constructed multiple dams to protect Starkweather Creek, which feeds into Lake Monona. [5] City employees of Madison steered the butter river into a storm water discharge pond near the highway, but when the pond overflowed, some of its contents were pumped across the railroad tracks into another pond. [5] The fire and subsequent dairy flood caused major financial losses, including $7.5 million in property damages ($16.8 million in 2023), $70 million in contents ($157 million in 2023), and nearly $1 million ($2.24 million in 2023) in fire control costs. [2] The cleanup cost approximately $550,000 ($1.23 million in 2023), and was mostly paid by the Central Storage and Warehouse Company and a grant from the USDA. [5]

On May 7, 1991, arson investigators ruled the fire to be an accident that originated near a battery-propelled forklift. [2] An informal year-end survey by The Madison Capital Times named the Butter Fire the most important local news story of 1991. [1] In October 2011, more than twenty years after the flames, the Central Storage and Warehouse company finished reconstruction along with a 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m2) freezer. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza cheese</span> Cheese for use specifically on pizza

Pizza cheese encompasses several varieties and types of cheeses and dairy products that are designed and manufactured for use specifically on pizza. These include processed and modified cheese, such as mozzarella-like processed cheeses and mozzarella variants. The term can also refer to any type of cheese suitable for use on pizza. The most popular cheeses used in the preparation of pizza are mozzarella, provolone, cheddar and Parmesan. Emmental, pecorino romano and ricotta are often used as toppings, and processed pizza cheeses manufactured specifically for pizza are mass-produced. Some mass-produced pizza cheeses are frozen after manufacturing and shipped frozen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butter</span> Dairy product

Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment, and used as a fat in baking, sauce-making, pan frying, and other cooking procedures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William D. Hoard</span> American politician (1836–1918)

William Dempster Hoard was an American politician, newspaper publisher, and agriculture advocate who served as the 16th governor of Wisconsin from 1889 to 1891. Called the "father of modern dairying", Hoard's advocacy for scientific agriculture and the expansion of dairy farming has been credited with changing Wisconsin's agricultural economy. His promotion of the use of silos and alfalfa for cattle feed, testing for bovine tuberculosis, and single-use cattle herds in his magazine Hoard's Dairyman led to those practices becoming commonplace throughout the United States. His work with the Wisconsin Dairymen's Association led to the exporting of Wisconsin dairy products to the East Coast and those products earning national renown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tillamook County Creamery Association</span> American dairy cooperative

The Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative headquartered in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The association manufactures and sells dairy products under the "Tillamook" brand name. Its main facility is the Tillamook Creamery, located two miles north of the city of Tillamook on U.S. Route 101.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government cheese</span> Commodity cheese controlled by the government of the United States

Government cheese is processed cheese provided to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security in the United States, as well as to food banks and churches. This processed cheese was used in military kitchens during World War II and has been used in schools since the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish boil</span> Culinary tradition in areas of Wisconsin

A fish boil is a culinary tradition in areas of Wisconsin and along the coastal Upper Great Lakes, with large Scandinavian populations. Fish boils enjoy a particularly strong presence in Door County, Port Wing and Port Washington, Wisconsin. The meal most often consists of Lake Michigan or Lake Superior whitefish, with other ingredients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colby-Jack</span> American variety of cheese

Colby-Jack, or Co-jack/Cojack, is an American marble cheese made from Colby and Monterey Jack. It is classified as semi-hard in texture and is mild due to its two-week aging process. It is generally sold in a full-moon or a half-moon shape when it is young. The flavor of Colby-Jack is mild to mellow. Colby-Jack cheese is mainly produced in the states of Wisconsin and California. It is used in various dishes or as a topping to be melted. These dishes include burgers, pasta bakes, macaroni and cheese, casseroles and so on. It is predominantly used in the United States, and is not readily available internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin cheese</span> Cheese made in the U.S. state of Wisconsin

Wisconsin cheese is cheese made in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin has a long tradition and history of cheese production and it is widely associated in popular culture with cheese and the dairy industry.

The 1933 Wisconsin milk strike was a series of strikes conducted by a cooperative group of Wisconsin dairy farmers in an attempt to raise the price of milk paid to producers during the Great Depression. Three main strike periods occurred in 1933, with length of time and level of violence increased during each one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Wisconsin</span> Food and drinks from Wisconsin

The cuisine of Wisconsin is a type of Midwestern cuisine found throughout the state of Wisconsin in the United States of America. Known as "America's Dairyland", Wisconsin is famous for its cheese as well as other dairy products, such as cheese curds and frozen custard. Other notable foods common to the region include bratwursts, beer, brandy Old Fashioned cocktails, butter burgers, fish fries and fish boils, cranberries, and booyah stew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prairie Farms Dairy</span> American Midwestern dairy cooperative

Prairie Farms Dairy is a dairy cooperative founded in Carlinville, Illinois, and now headquartered in Edwardsville, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis. As a dairy cooperative, Prairie Farms receives milk from producers and converts it into many different products, including cheese, butter, ice cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, various dips, yogurt, and fluid milk. Prairie Farms also produces and sells juices, flavored drinks, and pre-made iced tea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lore Alford Rogers</span> American bacteriologist (1875–1975)

Lore Alford Rogers was an American bacteriologist and dairy scientist. He is credited with discovering that butter made from pasteurized sweet cream remained fresher than that made from sour ripened cream, while suggesting that surplus milk could still be sold as concentrated sour milk products. He refined the steps for manufacture of high quality Swiss cheese and, new to the United States, production of Roquefort cheese. He was instrumental in finding ways to discourage fungal growth in sweetened condensed milk and preventing losses in evaporated milk from heat coagulation.

Kingaroy Butter Factory is a heritage-listed former butter factory at 67 William Street, Kingaroy, South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Waugh and Josephson and built in 1926. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 9 November 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dairy salt</span> Type of salt used for preparation of butter and cheese

Dairy salt is a culinary salt product used in the preparation of butter and cheese products that serves to add flavor and act as a food preservative. Dairy salt can vary in terms of quality and purity, with purer varieties being the most desirable for use in foods. Dairy salt has been used since at least the 1890s in England and the United States. In butter preparation, it serves to retain moisture, while in cheeses, it tends to reduce water content and slow the ripening process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agen Warehouse</span> United States historic place

The Agen Warehouse, also known as the 1201 Western Building is an historic former warehouse building located at 1201 Western Avenue in Seattle, Washington. Originally constructed in 1910 by John B. Agen (1856–1920), widely considered the father of the dairy industry in the Northwest, for his wholesale dairy commission business, it was designed by the partnership of John Graham, Sr. and David J. Myers with later additions designed by Graham alone. After years of industrial use, the building was fully restored to its present appearance in 1986 for offices and retail with the addition of a penthouse and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 23, 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Wisconsin</span> Farming in Wisconsin

Agriculture is a significant sector in Wisconsin's economy, producing nearly $104 billion in revenue annually. The significance of the state's agricultural production is exemplified by the depiction of a Holstein cow, an ear of corn, and a wheel of cheese on Wisconsin's state quarter design. In 2017 there were 64,800 farms in the state, operating across 14.3 million acres of land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiram Smith Hall and Annex</span> United States historic place

The Hiram Smith Hall and Annex is part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The Hall was built in 1891 to house the first permanent dairy school in the western hemisphere, which had been established the year before. The annex was added in 1909 as the dairy school grew. In 1985 the pair were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin dairy industry</span> Overview of the milk producing industry in Wisconsin

Dairy is a major industry in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Being known for its dairy production, the state is often called "America's Dairyland." The industry is prominent in official state symbols—being displayed on the state's license plates, state's slogan, and on the state quarter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of cheesemaking in Wisconsin</span> History of the cheesemaking industry in Wisconsin

Commercial cheesemaking in Wisconsin dates back to the nineteenth century. Early cheesemaking operations began on farmsteads in the Michigan and Wisconsin territories, with large-scale production starting in the mid-1800s. Wisconsin became the largest producer of cheese in the United States in the early 1900s, and in 2019 produced over 3.36 billion pounds of cheese in more than 600 varieties, accounting for 27% of all cheese made in the country that year.

References

  1. 1 2 "Top News Stories of 1991". Madison Capital Times. December 28, 1991. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Brueck, Dana (May 3, 2011). "20 Years Ago Today: Central Storage & Warehouse Fire". NBC15. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Rivedal, Karen (January 4, 2011). "'Huge grease fire' was a hot mess". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "CENTRAL STORAGE WAREHOUSE FIRE MADISON, WISCONSIN – Fire Engineering: Firefighter Training and Fire Service News, Rescue". December 1, 1991. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Oncken, John. "The great butter and cheese fire of 1991". Wisconsin State Farmer. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  6. ↑ Flaherty, Mike (April 3, 1990). "The butter cup runneth over". Wisconsin Daily State Journal. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Fire Destroys Millions of Pounds of Meat and Butter". Associated Press News . January 11, 2023. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  8. ↑ Munson, Ben (April 30, 2021). "Butter where butter shouldn't be". Tone Madison. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ Loroff, Rebecca. "Melted butter creates obstacles, spills into canal after Wisconsin dairy plant catches fire". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  10. ↑ Rivedal, Karen (January 4, 2011). "Central Storage & Warehouse has risen from a fiery ooze". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.