Engine sparks noise, smoke, and fire at IP
Published 4:28 pm Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Smoke rises from the Franklin mill of International Paper around 2 p.m. Wednesday. This was caused by an overheated bulldozer engine that sparked a fire in a pile of bark where it was working, said a company representative. There were no injuries. Tim Parsons of Franklin Automotive, who took this photo, said he first heard two explosions before going outside to see the source. -- SUBMITTED | TIM PARSONS
BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Playback58@gmail.com
FRANKLIN—A machine’s engine sparked a fire in a pile of bark early Wednesday afternoon at the Franklin mill of International Paper.
“A bulldozer operator, a contractor for the mill, was working on a pile of bark,” said Julie Brennan, communications manager. “Apparently the engine overheated and caught the bark on fire. There was more smoke than fire, really.”
The operator immediately got help, and the flames were quickly brought under control, added Brennan.
“I heard two explosions and then saw smoke billowing from the plant,” said Tim Parsons of Franklin Automotive on nearby Fourth Avenue. “This was around 2 p.m. One of our technicians went over and saw fire.”
There were no injuries, though there was damage to the bulldozer, Brennan said.
