A fire at the Greenpac Mill facilities in Niagara Falls, N.Y., USA, was burning more than 19 hours after it began this past Saturday (September 20), but was brought quickly under control and the mill was restarted earlier this week. Some 50 cardboard bales of paper, each measuring about 8 ft. x 4 ft. x 6 ft. caught on fire at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Flames were whipped up by a steady wind out of the south. The fire soon spread to a nearby building. The mill building itself was saved.

 

Fire companies from across Niagara County and neighboring communities were at the scene on Royal Avenue. Equipment from the Niagara Falls Air Base was also brought in. At one point, every water tanker in Niagara County was at the scene. Off-duty firefighters were called in so crews could be rotated in and out. 

 

Late Saturday night the wind shifted to the southwest, sparing city residents from much of the smoke and ash. Witnesses reported seeing flames 40 ft. high. Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster said as of about 9:30 a.m. Sunday, the flames were "mostly out."

 

According to Mayor Dyster the roof collapsed on one building which is part of the Norampac Industries complex. A fire chief said the fire was contained to a conveyor building that feeds paper into the mill itself. The plant is only two years old. It is one of the largest paper mills in North America, built at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. The goal of firefighters has been to prevent the fire from spreading to other structures.

 

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries. One hurt his shoulder. Another had minor burns on his neck. Neighbors have donated cases of water and Gatorade for the weary fire crews