An apparent explosion triggered a fire Saturday afternoon at the Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the company's largest milling facility.

Firefighters responded around 4:45 p.m. local time to reports of an explosion and blaze on the north side of the building. Crews found heavy smoke and flames, and additional units from nearby areas assisted in the response.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell provided updates via social media, confirming that all personnel were safe and no workers were injured. All employees were accounted for by early evening, and officials noted the incident occurred in a product-handling area with limited staffing, which officials described as fortunate. The cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation by authorities.

The fire was brought under control by approximately 6:25 p.m., though crews continued operations to address hot spots. Black smoke was visible over parts of the city, and traffic on nearby Interstate 380 was briefly impacted.

The plant processes more than 2 million pounds of oats daily. PepsiCo Foods US, which owns the facility, confirmed first responders were on scene and stated they would investigate the cause of the fire.

The facility plays a significant role in the local economy as one of the largest employers in the area and a key part of the national food supply chain for oat products. Production at the site may face temporary disruptions while repairs and safety assessments are completed.

Company officials have not yet provided a timeline for resuming full operations.