Fire Quickly Extinguished at Baileyville Paper Mill

No injuries occurred after a fire erupted Saturday at a Baileyville paper mill. The facility experienced a January gas leak that killed two employees and is subject to federal investigation.

Firefighters received a call around 11:45 a.m. at the Woodland Pulp LLC mill on Main Street in the Washington County town. A small fire started within a wall above an ash hopper, which holds ash from burned wood byproducts, according to mill spokesman Scott Beal.

“It created a lot more smoke than fire and I understand access (to the fire) was the issue that they were dealing with,” Beal said. “They did get it knocked down and taken care of. There was minimal damage and nobody was hurt.”

Approximately 15 firefighters from Baileyville, Calais, and Princeton responded. Crews departed the scene about an hour later, said Baileyville Fire Chief Brandon Ireland. “They were able to put the fire out pretty quick,” Ireland said.

Beal offered no details on the fire's cause. Ireland noted that his department handles similar mill fires several times yearly. Two employees died and others were injured in a late January toxic gas leak at the Woodland Pulp mill. Federal safety officials are probing the release and safeguards in place.