Firefighters Douse Flames At Mentor Lumber

Mentor firefighters doused a fire Wednesday morning inside one of the building in the complex on Center Street.

The fire department first received a call about the fire at 8:16 a.m.

The blaze began in a dust suppression hopper, Mentor Fire Public Education Specialist Nathan Peters said. The hoppers catch sawdust that is created from cutting lumber.

Two Mentor lumber employees tried to stop the fire by spraying it with an extinguisher, Peters said. While they couldn't douse the fire, they did slow its spread.

Mentor firefighters arrived and were able to extinguish the fire before it spread beyond the hopper. Consequently, the only damage to the building was from smoke, Peters said.

Nobody was hurt because of the fire. Paramedics checked on the two employees who used the extinguisher and they didn't need any medical treatment, Peters said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. However, Peters noted that sawdust fires are not uncommon.

Mentor Fire Department offers free fire extinguisher training for businesses and home owners. Anyone who is interested can call 440-974-5765.