1.17pm: A STRUCTURE blaze was reported on Industrial Road, Murtoa, on Wednesday.
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The turnoff from the Wimmera Highway.
The fire was reported as small about 1.17pm and is listed on the Emergency Victoria incident list not yet under control.
Eight vehicles are responding.
2.16pm: A dust explosion was reported in a Murtoa silo at GrainCorp.
Country Fire Authority public information officer Jenny McGennisken said there was numerous fires in the upper levels of the silo.
Ms McGennisken said there is black smoke visible leaving the top of the silo but no fire is visible.
“There is an advice message but there is no risk to the community,” she said.
“It’s a difficult fire (to extinguish), the dust is very volatile and there is a high risk of more explosions.”
The fire is contained in the silo.
Ms McGennisken said the CFA has special equipment on route from Ballarat.
There is an elevated ladder platform truck, which has a large ladder attached.
“There are numerous CFA crews on site,” Ms McGennisken said.
“It will be on going for several hours.”
2.58pm: Murtoa schools have been evacuated due to the fire.
CFA operations officer Alfred Mason said there is no risk to the schools due to the fire, other than the smoke.
“The process will be steady as it comes, we don’t believe that there is a threat to the schools,” he said.
4.26pm: The fire at the silo in Murtoa has been extinguished in the top half of the silo.
A small fire remains underneath the silo near a conveyor belt-like rubber mat Mr Mason said.
“It is in a small area and the crews have located it and are going to wet the mat,” he said.
“Hopefully i a short period of time the fire will be out.”
Mr Mason said there has been no issues on the GrainCorp site.
The only delays to traffic has been the trains and Mr Mason said it was simply a safety precaution.