By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

A fire and explosion damaged a portion of Livengood Feeds mill in Lockhart recently, but the business’ service to customers was not disrupted. -- Staff photo by Taylor

March 9, 2006 - Customers accessing Livengood Feeds mill today wouldn’t recognize there had been a fire and explosion at the location, but a large blaze at the facility in Lockhart on Feb. 23 damaged some of the raw grain and injured two employees.

The fire was likely started by grain dust in the basement of the building, and the changing air pressure and flames, apparently, was the cause of a secondary explosion on the first floor, according to Lockhart Fire Chief Jerry Doyle. It took about five hours to bring the blaze under control, and power was restored to the facility within 24 hours.

Two employees, Jose Tristan and Asencion Martinez, both of Lockhart, were taken to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin with burns, said Burt Livengood, owner and president of Livengood Feeds.

“Our main concern is the full and quick recovery of the two dedicated workers who were completing their shift ... when the accident occurred,” Livengood noted in a Feb. 24 press release.

As of press time, the workers were still hospitalized.

Also, the damaged raw grain is nothing customers should be concerned about, noted Livengood. 

Customers were not faced with any disruption of service. The other 15 employees at the location of the fire were working at their other mill in Lockhart, so there “should be no delay in delivery of products to customers statewide,” Livengood added.

The company is a family-owned  manufacturer and retailer, and provides feed for poultry, horses, cattle, hogs, deer, exotic game and specialty feeds.  The company, headquartered in Lockhart, has offered feeds since 1954 to Central, South Central and South Texas, along with being available at various feed stores across Texas.

The primary damage was to a portion of the structure’s inside tin walls and roof.