In April of 1956 a spectacular fire consumed $20,000 in feed and grains and destroyed the Oran elevator Thursday night. Fire trucks from four towns failed to halt the roaring flames and focused on saving nearby buildings. The loss was estimated at $35,000 by Dwight Dugger, manager. 

Dugger reported that he was notified about 8:15 pm that the building was burning.  His son, Bruce, who helps him manage the elevator and Oran lumber yard, had been at the yard at 8 pm to get sandpaper and reported everything was alright at that time.  William Benzine saw the blaze which started in the grinding shed in the southwest corner of the elevator and turned in the alarm. The shed was last used at 4:30 pm. Dugger said observers reported an explosion preceded the fire.

The building contained 2,500 bushels of oats, 600 bushels of corn and about 320 or 820? bushels of soybeans plus about $7,000 worth of feed, Dugger stated. Two big loads of feed went into the elevator on Thursday. 

The elevator which was constructed in 1912, had just been given a new covering of aluminum during the last week. It held a capacity of about 20,000 bushels plus several tons of feed.  The building was partially insured, and the feed and grain fully insured, Dugger declared. 

The Oran lumber yard and elevator is owned by Unity Lumber Yard, Inc. at Des Moines.   

The fire, which was still smoldering at 9 am the next day, lighted the sky for miles around and drew thrill seekers from Tripoli, Oelwein, Readlyn Fairbank, Oran, Sumner and Hawkeye. Firemen and trucks from Oelwein, Oran, Fairbank and Readlyn fought the blaze and some remained all night to prevent the spreading of the fire by the strong wind that fanned the flames.