Explosion erupts at Illinois processing plant, injuring at least eight

The fire was contained by the fire department, but the extent of the injuries have yet to be disclosed

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) plant in Decatur, Illinois (Suzanne Opton/Getty)

At least eight people were injured in an explosion on Sunday at a processing plant in Illinois, officials say.

The blast occurred at an Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) plant in Decatur at around 7.11pm, a spokesperson for the company said.

It is still unclear how the explosion on the east plant in the complex happened.

“ADM immediately contacted the Decatur Fire Department, which remains on the scene. Several employees were injured and transported to the local hospital for treatment. Our thoughts are with our colleagues. We do not have a confirmed cause at this time,” the spokesperson said.

The seriousness of the injuries is also unclear, Deputy Fire Chief Dan Kline told CNN.

The large fire from the blast was confirmed by the fire department to now be under control.

The Decatur plant is the North American headquarters for ADM and its largest complex globally.

The explosion happened around 7.11pm last Sunday (Sam Leman Eye Net Cameras/CBS)

The plant operates soybean crushing and has one of the largest corn wet mills in the world.

This plant also has the capacity to produce 375 million gallons of ethanol biofuel each year, making it the largest in the country, according to the Renewable Fuels Association.

ADM says on their website that 4,000 staff work at their Decatur site.

It was only on 28 August that the last fire erupted at the ADM complex in Decatur at a processing tank. Attempts to contain the fire left two firefighters injured.

ADM employees were also hospitalised in April after another explosion in the west plant at one of the grain elevators.