ROME, Ga. — Fire investigators are looking into what exactly caused a fire that ripped through part of a large paper mill in north Georgia on Saturday night.
Fire Marshal Mary Catherine Chewning confirmed to 11Alive that fire crews were called to International Paper around 10:30 p.m. to the fire.
One employee at the plant was treated for smoke inhalation but is otherwise OK. No other injuries were reported, including among the firefighters who responded to the scene.
Chewning said the fire caused extensive damage, particularly in the area of the paper machines. However, she said that the damage was somewhat mitigated by the functional sprinkler systems that helped suppress the fire.
The cause, however, is still unclear and will be the subject of an in-depth
According to International Paper's own documentation, the Rome paper mill employs about 480 people. It has been in operation since 1954 but has only been part of International Paper since 2012.
At this time, the company hasn't released how the fire will impact the operation of the plant or what the plan is moving forward as the recovery process is still in the very early stages. However, they did release a statement thanking firefighters and first responders for all they did on Saturday night.
"We are grateful all of our team members and contractors are safe with no serious injuries reported," a spokesperson told 11Alive. "The fire department quickly responded and managed the fire last night. This is an ongoing investigation."
MORE HEADLINES