WHITTON business Southern Cotton is counting its blessings after no staff members were injured or killed when its seed shed went up in flames earlier this week.
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A fire broke out about 5.45pm on Monday, with NSW Fire and Rescue Leeton and Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigades from Whitton and Darlington Point called into action.
In what was the first major incident for the business since it opened, the company's fire plan and procedures worked well, according to management.
The fire was able to be contained, but not before the shed was extensively damaged.
Southern Cotton general manager Kate O'Callaghan said assessments of the damage were under way, with the company's insurers on site during the week.
"We think what started it was potentially spontaneous combustion," Mrs O'Callaghan said.
"That storm (on Monday evening) whipped up and this wind came right across the top of the lint, so that could have been what happened.
"The main message we want to get out there is that we are resilient and we'll have everything all sorted to process cotton as soon as it starts arriving in the module yard.
"That will probably be around March, so we'll be ready to go."
Mrs O'Callaghan said there was 10,000 tonnes of seed stored in the shed at the time of the fire, with the least damaged product being removed to see if it can still be sold on for different purposes.
Rural Fire Service brigades from Whitton and Darlington Point were first on the scene Monday evening, with Leeton Fire and Rescue NSW required to bring one truck and a HAZMAT unit.
"We did have to use the thermal imaging camera to identify hot spots and extinguish those," Leeton Fire and Rescue NSW Captain Graham Parks said.
"By the time we got there, there was a lot of smoke and not a lot of fire.
"There was lots of damage."
Southern Cotton staff have been on-site 24 hours a day since the blaze broke out to monitor further hot spots and extinguish those.
"It was amazing how quickly it happened," Mrs O'Callaghan said.
"The tin (on the shed's roof) peeled back like a lollie wrapper.
"We'll work out with the insurers and architects whether we can salvage the shed or tear it down and start again."
The business has thanked authorities and staff for their quick action when the fire started.