MASARDIS, Maine — Despite a basement fire that affected some production lines over the weekend, employees of the Maibec lumber mill in Masardis were back to work as usual Monday.
A fire started early Saturday morning in the basement of the lumber mill and damaged some production lines, but left no one injured and did not cause widespread damage, plant manager Nathan Whitney said in a press release.
The fire broke out at around 2:30 a.m. and was extinguished by 5 a.m. by fire departments from Ashland and four other municipalities. Crews were at work all weekend for cleanup and repairs, Whitney said.
No official cause of the fire was determined but Whitney said that “an electrical issue probably ignited sawdust on the floor of the mill.”
One of the production lines affected by the fire was expected to be running again Monday, Whitney said. The production line where it originated may be down for a week while the flooring, hydraulic system and electrical lines are repaired, he said.
Whitney added the incident was managed well and minimized the damage.
“I want to thank everyone at the mill and all the first responders for their quick action and hard work. As with any fire, it could have been a lot worse.”
