SKOWHEGAN, Maine — A fire broke out Saturday morning on a conveyor belt at the Somerset Mill in Skowhegan which is owned and operated by Sappi.
At about 9:15 a.m. Saturday, fire crews responded to a report of a conveyor belt fire at the Sappi Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, Skowhegan Fire Chief Ronnie Rodriguez told NEWS CENTER Maine on Monday.
The conveyor belt that caught fire was one that takes wood chips from where they are chipped to a storage facility where they are processed and stored, according to Rodriguez.
When fire crews arrived at the scene, they discovered the belt had burned through. Rodriguez said the fully-covered belt runs about four feet wide and 350 feet long and runs about 175 feet between the two buildings.
The involved conveyor belt also runs from "about ground level" to 150 feet in the air between the buildings, Rodriguez added.
Due to the conveyor belt being fully covered and its location, Rodriguez said reaching all the hotspots proved tricky, as the fire department's aerial devices could not reach that high. The building layout also caused difficulty in accessing the fire.
Fire crews also reportedly expressed concern about ignition potential with wood particles, dust, and chips floating around in the mill, Rodriquez told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Five fire departments from surrounding towns responded to the fire.
"Rural Maine is significantly reliant on mutual aid agreements. We're always grateful for the help we receive," Rodriguez said.
No injuries were reported, and the origin of the fire remains under investigation.
The fire was ruled accidental, and officials did not call the state fire marshal.
Fire crews remained at the scene until about 4 p.m.
NEWS CENTER Maine reached out to Sappi for comment, but has not yet heard back.
