No one was injured in the incident at Edendale.
“Our teams were able to quickly confirm that all of our people were accounted for, which is always our first priority in any unexpected event,” chief operating officer global operations Robert Spurway said.
The silo was one of about 100 onsite, representing less than 10% of Edendale’s total capacity for raw milk storage.
Spurway said the silo appeared to have failed and the subsequent collapse damaged a nearby pipebridge, creating a loud noise heard by those in the vicinity.
“Whilst some of the damage may take several weeks to repair, the situation is under control and we are now working to get the plant back up and running as normal,” Spurway said.
There could be some temporary impact on milk collection in the Southland region, Fonterra said and the company will keep impacted farmers informed.
