Fire destroys Oregon plywood mill
12 August 2014A fire has raged through a mill at Springfield Plywood and Veneer on July 18, leaving an uncertain future for the 33-acre site operated by Swanson Group Inc with headquarters in Glendale, Oregon.
The fire destroyed machinery and stacks of plywood and lumber that dotted the 18,600m2 facility. All employees were accounted for following an evacuation of the facility, officials said.
The source was reportedly a large veneer dryer in the finish yard, although no official cause was confirmed. The dryer caught fire, which ignited airborne debris and then quickly spread to other parts of the mill, according to a report in The Register Guard newspaper.
The fire caused boilers, propane tanks and tanks containing glue to explode.
The fire spread to other buildings in the complex, but those were extinguished, fire officials said.
Financial damages for the loss of the mill and its operations have not yet been estimated.
The family-owned Swanson Group operates four wood mills across Oregon. Swanson purchased the Springfield mill from McKenzie Forest Products.
