COMBINED LOCKS — A fire early Saturday in a pulp conveyor sent multiple departments to McKinley Paper in Combined Locks to help the mill’s emergency response team knock down the fire and hot spots.
According to a news release, Combined Locks Fire & Rescue, Town of Buchanan Fire and Rescue, City of Kaukauna Fire Department Ambulance and Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched about 2:25 a.m. Saturday to McKinley Paper for a report of a fire.
Initial dispatch information indicated that the fire was located in the back side of the mill and involved a pulp conveyor system.
Mill Emergency Response Team firefighters were also deployed for initial containment.
When they arrived, fire officers confirmed that the Mill ERT had knocked the fire down.
An officer from Fox Valley Metro Police Department was flying a drone and had seen what appeared to be smoke and flames coming from the roof of the mill. With that information, Incident Command then requested an aerial platform from Kaukauna Fire Department to the scene.
While crews were inside the mill checking for fire extension, another crew made their way to the roof via ground ladders.
After checking visually and with Thermal Imaging Cameras, it was verified that there was no extension to the roof.
Fire Department personnel from Combined Locks and Buchanan assisted with smoke ejection using fans.
There were several hot spots remaining where the original fire was, and fire crews focused on cooling those and flushing any remaining embers and areas that were still containing heat.
After those tasks were completed, the mill area was turned back over to mill supervisors who were working on identifying the cause of the fire.
Quick work knocking down the initial fire by the mill’s ERT prevented the fire from spreading and kept the situation under control, according to officials.
No damage estimates are available and the mill was able to resume production after fire departments cleared. Crews were on scene for approximately 2 hours.
