STRONG – A fire destroyed an Avon man’s wood-turning mill and equipment Saturday evening on Route 4 in Strong.

Ed Taylor, who had customers nationwide, said $200,000 wouldn’t be enough to replace what he lost.

The mill was not insured.

Taylor said he made anything that would fit in one’s hand, from Hibachi grill components to starter-rope handles for boat motors and lawn mowers.

“We just made many, many items,” he said.

Taylor said he left the mill about 1:30 p.m. Saturday and everything was fine.

A friend came by about 6 p.m. and said smoke was coming from the back of the mill, and by 7 p.m. everything was gone.

“I don’t really know how the fire started; it was back in the mill in a place where no one has been for a week,” Taylor said. “There was just no reason for fire to start in that area”

Taylor said Franklin County sheriff’s deputies took him into protective custody after he continually attempted to go into the building to save about $9,000 worth of handles, including starter-rope handles that were ready to be shipped Monday.

The mill had burned a couple times before, Taylor said, and he was always able to rebuild.

Firefighters used a bulldozer to knock in the cinder-block walls, and Taylor said it upset him.

Taylor said the destroyed equipment included a head saw, single stripper, gang stripper, heavy-duty stripper and an equalizer.

Taylor said he didn’t think he was going to rebuild.

“At this moment, I’m a little depressed,” he said. “I’ll say no. If my machines were not broken, maybe.”

“I never had help before and I don’t want none now. I just don’t want to feel like I owe anybody.”

Taylor said he had combustible material in the building – about $6,000 worth of square wooden pieces that he planned to sell to others, and cardboard containers for shipping.

Taylor said his machine shop is still standing, but that’s not where he made his money.

Strong Fire Chief Doug Timberlake was unavailable for comment on Monday.

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