# Cardiff Feed Mill Fire Reaches 500 Degrees Celsius

> A significant fire broke out at a feed mill in Cardiff, New South Wales, on Saturday, October 17, 2026, forcing evacuations and a large emergency response as internal temperatures soared to 500 degrees Celsius.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-21T00:23:47.557948Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/cardiff-feed-mill-fire-reaches-500-degrees-celsius-12646ac4

A fire broke out at a feed mill in Cardiff, near Newcastle, New South Wales, on Saturday, October 17, 2026, sparking a major emergency response after an automatic fire alarm at approximately 10 AM local time, and reaching internal temperatures of 500 degrees Celsius [1][4][9].

The prolonged blaze prompted concerns about air quality and potential grain-dust explosions, affecting local residents with a strong, pungent smell and requiring up to 50 firefighters to manage the hazardous conditions [1][5][6].

## What the records show

The incident began with a small fire at the top of the dust extraction system, which Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews initially doused [6][9]. However, the blaze continued to move downwards through the system towards the grain grinder [4][6][9]. Internal temperatures in the dust extraction system exceeded 200 degrees Celsius, while the area near the grain grinder reached approximately 500 degrees Celsius [1][6][9]. Firefighters faced risks of a grain-dust explosion and the operation was described as arduous due to humid and warm weather conditions [4][6]. All stormwater drains in the area were shut off to prevent environmental contamination, and FRNSW communicated with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) [5][6][9]. Four individuals on site were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported [2][4][9].

## The Timeline

An automatic fire alarm triggered the initial response shortly after 10 AM on Saturday, October 17, 2026 [4][9]. Firefighters initially cooled the affected area and prevented further spread by 11:14 AM [8][11]. This progress was reversed when high temperatures, up to 300 degrees Celsius, were detected in vertical ductwork leading to the basement, indicating heat buildup below [4][8][11]. Crews temporarily withdrew from parts of the structure to re-evaluate their strategy [8][11]. By 2:40 PM, firefighters gained access to the grinder hopper through multiple hatches and used a 38mm hose line to extinguish the fire in that section, while continuing to monitor temperatures [8][11]. Later reports from FRNSW indicated that the temperature was no longer rising [6][9].

## What changed and for whom

For the four people on site at the feed mill, the change was an immediate evacuation to safety, with no injuries reported [2][4][9]. Firefighters faced a protracted and difficult operation under hazardous conditions, including extreme heat and potential health risks from the environment [4][6]. Local residents in Cardiff experienced a pervasive and strong, pungent smell, leading to public health concerns and ambulance personnel being placed on standby [1][5][8]. The feed mill faces operational disruption and potential damage from the fire [9].

## What the subject has said publicly

Acting Superintendent James Manuao, Fire and Rescue NSW Lower Hunter zone commander, confirmed the initial response to the automatic fire alarm and efforts to attack the fire [4][6][9]. He expressed concern about the fire propagating down to the grain grinder and emphasized the methodical approach taken by crews to address the blaze while maintaining safety and exclusion zones [4][6]. Manuao stated it was "way too early to understand" the cause of the fire and acknowledged the operation would be lengthy and arduous [5][6][9]. He also confirmed that the EPA was being kept informed of developments [5][9].

## What we could not confirm

The specific operator of the feed mill was not named in one report [9]. While other sources identified the mill as Baiada's Cardiff feed mill, this was not universally stated [4][14]. The exact cause of the fire was also not determined at the time of reporting [5][9]. The precise composition of the smoke and its full potential health effects for residents were not detailed in the available records [1]. The extent of the operational disruption or damage to the feed mill was not specified [9].

## Evidence cited
1. Firefighters battle out-of-control blaze at NSW feed mill (www.abc.net.au) — https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-17/fire-cardiff-feed-mill-near-newcastle/107279170
2. Logg på (apple.com) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFrGVaujXzth3DK7U68iGqQkBH0t0wWEfaueNxyJ90wlXRByY1MSJNsvt_JyivGp8vOBaZe5qdkmleKVwLlmlhzI0olUbT-W-WMuCM-C-8F6Pj6lnVhBobXbS4fC2vKModQIJ2oXOHeljmiJA2MGrJ2zLJq90wC3VM3xuAWnaFJn-nvbWQ4iIZ6r3pQzjVbPWZUeMgV60iDZ_tnMtDyfydKpLocAgQWCoqTLH9rW3ftjfJAHyBHMO3FpUafkg==
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13. Fire hits feed mill near Newcastle in Australia's New South Wales as internal temperatures reach 500°C - eFeedLink (efeedlink.com) — https://efeedlink.com/
14. Richard Sevil is the National Feed-milling Manager at Baiada and is also the President of the NSW branch of the Stockfeed Manufacturer's Council of Australia. Steve Romero is the Manager of Baiada's Beresfield and Cardiff feed mills. Poultry Digest met both when they delivered insight to the critical aspects of delivering safe and appropriate feed diets to Baiada's vertically integrated poultry enterprise at the recent EW seminar which we have covered in this issue of Poultry Digest. With combin (primarymedia.com.au) — https://primarymedia.com.au/
15. Find your next job at SEEK (seek.com) — https://seek.com/
16. About Us | Baiada (baiada.com.au) — https://baiada.com.au/
17. Feed Mill Weighbridge Operator Job in Wagga Wagga (chandlermacleod.com) — https://www.chandlermacleod.com/job/feed-mill-weighbridge-operator-2615456
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