Damages caused by a Sunday evening fire at the Jim C. Hamer lumber mill at Curtin were kept to a minimum due to the quick response of the Webster Springs Fire Department.
According to Webster Springs Deputy Fire Chief Donnie McCourt, firemen from the department had the fire suppressed within just a few minutes of their arrival on scene at the lumber mill. Cleanup of smoldering saw dust and similar wood items kept the firefighters on scene for another hour and a half. McCourt said that Hamer employees discovered the fire on the "green chain line" of the mill's operations, and those employees first attempted to suppress the fire with fire extinguishers before calling for help.
The mill was not in operation at the time, and Hamer's Manager, Jim Stout, said the Hamer employees who discovered the fire were night watchmen. Both Stout and McCourt said there were no injuries due to the fire, and that it appeared the source of the fire was electrical in nature. "Most of the damage was to electrical lines related to the conveyor, with some structural damage to wood trusses and a wall," McCourt said.
The "green chain line" is at the end of the mill's operation after the wood is cut and graded, just before it is stacked for drying or shipment. Stout said that he expects the green chain line to be repaired and back up and running within a day. He estimated damages for parts to fix the line at a few thousand dollars. Stout said while that part of the mill would not be operating Monday, Hamer employees are still working in other areas of the mill.
McCourt said that his fire department sent two engines, one tanker, and one ladder truck to the fire, with about 20 firefighters on scene from the Webster Springs outfit. The Cowen Fire Department, in accordance with a mutual aid agreement with Webster Springs, sent one tanker to the scene, and one engine truck was sent to the Webster Springs Fire Department to be on standby in case of another fire outbreak. Cowen had at least four firefighters at the scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment