Fire temporarily shuts paper machine at Sonoco's paper mill in Menasha, Wisconsin, on Feb. 10; PM restarts operations the next day

Sandy Yang

LOS ANGELES , February 13, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) –

A fire on Feb. 10 at Sonoco Products Co.’s paper mill in Menasha, Wisconsin, temporarily shut down the paper machine, and one firefighter was hurt in the blaze, reported the Post-Crescent on Feb. 10.

The paper machine restarted operations on Saturday, Feb. 11, according to a person of knowledge in Menasha.

Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue Shift Commander Mike Flunker said he did not have a damage estimate.

The blaze began with a mechanical or electrical heat source, like an exhaust fan, he said.

The fire spread quickly down the length of the approximately 300-foot long paper machine; and “hidden fires” were everywhere, from the roof to the basement, said Flunker.

Firefighters responded to the fire at about 3:45 p.m. and evacuated the paper mill, while police barricaded the road for more than four hours.

One firefighter was taken to a nearby hospital for a back or neck injury and released later that evening, Flunker said.

The primary source of this article is the Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wisconsin, on Feb. 10, 2012.
 

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