Two firefighters suffered minor injuries Saturday morning (Aug. 24) as they helped to extinguish a fire at the newly reopened Nine Dragons Paper mill in Old Town.

According to Brian Boland, Vice President of Government Affairs & Corporate Initiatives for ND Paper, the fire started in an unused area of a mill building. 

“One of our employees discovered the fire after hearing and investigating unusual noises coming from this area,” said Boland. “The employee promptly reported the incident to mill security, who placed a call to the fire department at 9:15 a.m.”

First responders arrived to the scene at 9:21 a.m.and extinguished the fire; all emergency personnel was off the mill property by 11:25 a.m. Two firefighters who were not identified suffered minor, unspecified injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment and released.

The mill sustained damage to only insulation material in the unused area of the mill building.  No operating equipment, including the lime kiln, as initally was reported, was damaged in the fire.  Additionally, the mill suffered no structural damage, according to Boland.

“Safe operation of the pulp mill is ND Paper’s top priority.  As such, we are conducting a thorough investigation; the mill will be taken down for 36 to 48 hours for inspections, root cause analysis, and cleanup work,” said Boland.

On July 15, firefighters responded to a roof vent fire at the mill that caused little damage and no injuries, officials said.

Firefighters from at least six surrounding area communities responded to Saturday’s fire.