Mill fire contained to one machine

An arc from a welding machine started a fire at Saratoga Forest Management (Saratoga Mill) early Wednesday morning. According to Saratoga dispatch, the fire department was called out at 1:39 a.m. Wednesday.

“It could have been much worse,” Saratoga Mill’s owner Gary Ervin said. “Fortunately, we keep the area pretty clean.”

The millwright was working the night shift welding a small piece on the board edger end feed table, Ervin said. “It only was about an inch weld, but it wouldn’t have mattered if it was an inch or a foot, those sparks are hot.”

The damage was contained to the board edger end feed table, but it is enough to shut the mill down from anywhere to three to five weeks, Ervin said. The fire also damaged the control panel, which contains some electrical conduit.

The electricians and the insurance company were at the Saratoga Mill Monday to inspect and assess the damage. The heat from the fire may have melted the insulation inside the electrical conduit, but until the electricians can do a full assessment, Ervin does not know what kind of damage was done to the electrical part.

Ervin said some people are working at the mill, but until the mill opens up again, they are collecting unemployment.

In the meantime, the sawdust that has been piling up around the mill is being shipped to Gypsum, Colo., for use in a power plant there.