19 Fire Departments Battle Postville Fire
A fire that destroyed most of the Agri Star Meat and Poultry processing plant has left more than 600 workers without jobs as community members are organizing relief efforts.
Postville Fire Chief Jeff Bohr said the fire was accidental and started in the facility’s laundry room early Tuesday morning. As of Wednesday afternoon, Bohr estimated the fire destroyed 75% of the structure. No injuries were reported.
Nineteen fire departments responded, and crews used more than three million gallons of water to fight the blaze.
Agri Star Meat and Poultry said it is evaluating its future in Postville following the fire.
“As we attempt to regroup after yesterday’s devastating fire at our Postville facility, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to the many people who have stood beside us during this incredibly difficult time,” the company said in a Facebook post Wednesday morning.
The post later stated the following: “Our focus remains on the safety and well-being of our team members, our emergency responders, and our community as we continue working closely with local, state, and federal officials to assess the situation and begin planning for the road ahead. We understand there are many questions about what comes next. While we are still gathering information and evaluating our shortterm plans, we are committed to sharing verified updates as soon as they become available.”
The company had not announced a decision as of Wednesday.
Crystal Duffy, a member of Our Postville Community Heart and Soul, said more than a fifth of Postville’s population worked at the plant.
“A lot of the other industry in town supports that. We have small businesses and we have our school district and all of that is held up by this business,” Duffy said. “I went doom and gloom a little bit quick in my brain and then I went immediately to how do we organize and try and help people the best we can.”
Duffy and fellow Our Postville Community Heart and Soul member Kristy Turner are working to connect residents with ways to help the hundreds of workers now without income.
“We want to make sure that people who want to help have a meaningful way of doing that,” Turner said.
The top identified needs for displaced workers are rental assistance, home supplies and food.
“We have a very low income, vulnerable population in our community and some of them, you know, one week without a paycheck, means they don’t have food,” Duffy said.
Duffy said the Postville Community Food Pantry is leading efforts connecting residents in need of food. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 1129, Postville, IA 52162.
The IowaWORKS Mobile Workforce Center, including regional manager Marla Loecke, is in Postville this week helping displaced Agri Star workers apply for unemployment benefits.
“There is just a lot of stuff people are worried about, right? And there’s a lot of things going on for people. So if we can at least come out and help take care of this one thing for them so they can start focusing on some other things, that’s really what we want to do,” Loecke said.
Loecke and IowaWORKS staff will be in Postville Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, supporting workers affected by the Agri Star plant fire with unemployment and layoff assistance, along with other support and WiFi internet. It will be located at the Big Four Fairgrounds, 327 N Maple St., Postville, IA 52162.
Duffy and Turner are also setting up a volunteer sign-up. As needs become clearer, the list will help connect people who want to help with those who need support. “I do just want to take a moment to thank the firefighters, the first responders, the volunteers and everyone who is supporting them,” Newton Turner said. “Countless hours have been spent keeping Postville safe and we are so grateful.”
The group also worked with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque to set up a donation fund, providing direct financial assistance to plant workers in need.
Donations can be made online at dbqfoundation.org/PostvilleFire. Checks made out to the 2026 Postville Fire Community Support Fund can be mailed to Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque at 700 Locust St., Suite 195, Dubuque, IA 52001.
“It’s inspiring to watch neighbors helping neighbors and organizations working together and people asking, ‘How can I help?’” Turner said. “Our community shows up for one another, and this is an example of that.”