West End mill back in operation after small fire

FORKS — It was business as usual at the Interfor Pacific mill Tuesday after an electric motor sparked a fire the night before.

The fire, reported at 9:27 p.m. Monday night, was mostly extinguished half an hour later, said Clallam County Fire District No. 1 Deputy Chief Randy Mesenbrink.

He said the fire was contained to the planer mill’s shavings hopper.

Mesenbrink said a spark from an electric motor caused the dry wood shavings to catch fire.

The hopper almost completely contained the fire, he said.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze by emptying the hopper and hitting the shavings with their hoses, Mesenbrink said.

Production was not affected Tuesday by the fire, according to the company.

No damage estimates were immediately available.

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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.

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