Jefferson County Fire and EMS personnel responded Tuesday to a report of working structure fire at the Culver Brightwood Plant. Dispatch reported the blowers to the chip bin were on fire. Plant workers called 911 after noticing the top of the blower to one of the chip bins was smoking and showing signs of fire.
Crews arrived on scene and discovered that the bulk of the fire was located atop of the blower tube that led into the bin. Firefighters deployed their 105-foot aerial ladder and where able to keep the fire from spreading. Minimal damage was sustained to the structure and no injuries were reported.
On scene Officers determined that a mechanical device located atop of the chip bin had accumulated dust and had caught on fire do to friction created by the device.
Jefferson County Fire and EMS would like to remind everyone that even though this fire occurred at a large commercial wood processing facility, fires can occur in mechanical devices that produce dust. A good practice is to follow the manufacturers recommendation of your mechanical device when cleaning and returning it back to a state of readiness. Devices that can produce dust are woodworking devices, farm equipment, and landscaping equipment. This accumulation of dust can lead to friction and then lead to combustion.