PALO ALTO COUNTY, Iowa — A week-long fire at a northwest Iowa ethanol plant that occurred in May has been deemed an arson by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office.

At around 10:46 p.m. on May 12 the sheriff’s office responded to a report of a fire in the stackyard at the POET Bioprocessing plant in Emmetsburg. The fire burned for a week and resulted in the loss of roughly $5 million worth of corn stover, POET Bioprocessing leaders said.

According to the sheriff’s office, the fire is believed to be an arson and they’re now looking for the person responsible. Leaders at the Emmetsburg plant said they’re offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person, or people, who started the fire.

“This is a serious criminal act that put people and property at risk,” Benjamin Gustafson, general manager of POET Bioprocessing – Emmetsburg, said in a statement. “We are committed to the safety of our team members and the surrounding community. We are working closely with local law enforcement to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at (712)852-3535.

No injuries were reported and leaders said operations at the plant have continued safely after the fire.

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