Missouri Hardwood Plant Suffers Loss

Pierce City MO, May 2, 2007--Officials with Mid-America Hardwoods Inc. say a fire that destroyed 240,000 board feet in a kiln building will not interrupt the company’s production of hardwood flooring, according to the Joplin Globe.

The newspaper said that 5,000-square-foot building caught fire Sunday afternoon. It was reported by a passer-by. By the time firefighters arrived, it was too late to save the building and its contents.

“When a fire like that gets going, it can’t be stopped. It was an intense fire,” said Tim Douglas, human resources manager for the company. “The water they used kept the surrounding buildings cool. They contained it and let the fire burn. It’s still smoldering over there today (Tuesday).”

Douglas said insurance adjusters were examining the scene Tuesday. An estimate of the loss is being calculated.

“This was green hickory and oak we purchased from sawmills,” he said. “Drying lumber creates heat, but we don’t know whether it was that or the boiler room. It’s still being investigated. We don’t know the exact cause.”

The boiler operation at the kiln building is checked daily and was checked the morning before the fire started, officials said.

The fire should pose no problems in terms of continued production, Douglas said. He said the company has a large supply of dried lumber available, and it could, if necessary, purchase lumber that already has been dried.

No firefighters were injured battling the blaze. Firefighters from Monett’s city and rural fire departments assisted the Pierce City Rural Fire Department. Also helping were firefighters from Granby, East Newton, Fairview and Stark City.

Eight tankers, seven pumpers and a ladder truck were used to battle the blaze, which was reported at 4:36 p.m.

“This is the first time we have had a fire like this in a lumber-drying operation,” Douglas said.

The company had three locations where it dried lumber. The other plants are in Sarcoxie and Fulton, Miss.