“Everything is running.” That’s the update from Mt. Vernon Mills Plant Manager Gary Lane following an early morning fire at the plant Monday. The fire forced the evacuation of employees at the textile mill in Alto.
Baldwin Fire Chief Joe Roy says firefighters were dispatched to the scene around 4:30 a.m. Upon arrival, they found fire coming out of the front and sides of the building. “There was fire in the air handler, tunnels and roof of the building,” says Roy. “We set up operations and commenced to establish four different work divisions of firefighters to extinguish the fire.”
Units from six different fire departments were called in to assist including Habersham County, Banks County, Cornelia, Demorest, Clarkesville and Lee Arrendale Prison. They were able to contain the fire.
Roy says no injuries were reported and Mt. Vernon Mills already had the building evacuated before firefighters arrived.
“We’re very thankful to the fire department for what they did,” says Lane. He says clean up at the plant is underway and officials are now trying to determine what caused the fire. “That’s what we’re trying to do now is just find the source.”
Lane says all shifts are reporting to the plant as normal.
“I would like to thank Mt. Vernon Mills Maintenance crews for helping with the situation at hand,” the Chief says. “I would also like to thank each and every firefighter that responded and let them know another ‘JOB WELL DONE'”.
(photo/Gitt Sithisaiya)
