Fire at Sonoco paper mill in South Richmond, Virginia, affects recycled paper and board bales, but building itself spared

Diane Keaton

LOS ANGELES , July 6, 2012 (Industry Intelligence, Inc.) – A third-alarm fire on July 5 at the Sonoco Product Co.’s paper mill in South Richmond, Virginia, was put out after firefighters contained it to burning bales of recycled paper and paperboard, WTVR-TV reported on the same day.

The fire began at about 2 p.m. and the wind blew about burning embers that ignited other fires.

Firefighters said it was fortunate that the paper mill building itself did not catch fire.

Crews spent hours sifting through smoldering debris until the fire was completely out.

Fighting the fire was complicated by record-breaking heat, with the temperature reaching 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

The primary source of this article is WTVR-TV, Richmond, Virginia, on July 5, 2012.

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