Fire destroyed a wood products preparation building Monday at Launstein Hardwood Floors' plant in Mason, Mich. No one was injured during the blaze that started around 3 p.m.
Luckily, the plant was operating with a reduced staff due to the Christmas holiday, Launstein's Mary Lamphere said. Two workers spotted smoke billowing from the building's eave and alerted authorities. By about 3:30, rural fire departments from Mason and four surrounding communities had responded to suppress the flames.
The preparation building housed planers, sanders and a large dust evacuation system. Lamphere said the cause of the fire is unconfirmed but early signs point to the fire originating within the dust evacuation system. The company's Vice President Don Launstein told WLNS.com that the fire caused about $1 million in damage.
Don Launstein, the company's vice president, said the fire will not disrupt his short term, end-user-direct operations, and that a temporary preparation building will be up and running in a few weeks. "We're not going to slow down on anything," he said.
