PALATKA, Fla. — Several fire crews responded to a fire Tuesday morning in Palatka.
The Georgia-Pacific Paper Mill reported a fire in its tissue manufacturing area.
We’ve since been told there was no significant damage.
“It’s likely caused by dust collection which is common in paper manufacturing,” Georgia-Pacific Public Affairs and Communications Manager Mark Brown said.
Report: Man presumed dead following attack by alligator in Ida floodwaters
Brown said the fire was contained quickly and to one paper machine.
On scene at the Palatka Georgia-Pacific Plant. We’re not allowed on the property at this time but we see fire crews set up underneath the yellow crane in the picture below. LIVE report at noon on @ActionNewsJax. pic.twitter.com/BlNtMPtuQ1
— Gretchen Kernbach (@GretchenK_TV) August 31, 2021
“The fire department and our crews will continue to monitor closely to make sure it remains extinguished,” Brown said.
Brown said additional crews were called to the scene so firefighters could rotate in and out of the heat.
“Inside a facility such as this, there tends to be quite a bit of heat; and so, as the responses (are) going on they need to rotate firefighters so they can protect against overheating,” Brown said.
Brown said safety is the mill’s top priority. Workers will now be cleaning and preparing the area to resume operations.
‘I’m standing’: Woman in viral photo from Jacksonville antibody treatment center speaks out
Action News Jax previously reported on another fire at the mill back in 2019. The fire department was called after smoke was reported in the tissue manufacturing area as well.
Action News Jax found no OSHA violations within the last five years for the plant. We also reached out to the county, asking how many times the fire department has responded to the mill in the last five years.
The department issued the following statement:
“Putnam County fire officials said there have been 12 reported fires at Georgia Pacific between 2016-2021. Vehicle fires are included in this number. Officials said the 12 reports do not count fire alarms. They also said there have been no fire-related fatalities at Georgia-Pacific in the last five years. Officials stated two Georgia-Pacific employees were transported for smoke inhalation back in April 2018.”
©2021 Cox Media Group
