For the second time in a week, firefighters responded to a blaze late yesterday (May 15, 2020) at Crossville Hardwoods involving a hopper and a tractor-trailer underneath it. The hopper reportedly was 20 percent full of wood dust. The tractor-trailer was moved away from the hopper as crews worked to contain the fire. No injuries were reported.

On May 12, 2020, firefighters responded there for a blaze in a small silo containing wood particles. Crossville Fire Department Deputy Chief Chris South told 105.7 News that fire started in a belt fender and spread into the silo. A new fire suppression system Crossville Hardwoods recently installed kept the blaze in check until firefighters arrived and put the remaining blaze out. Crews also checked the two larger silos to make sure embers from the fire did not spread into them. Firefighters were on the scene for about 3 to 4 hours. No injuries were reported in that incident.

Other notable fires in the past involving Crossville Hardwoods include:

On March 20, 2018, crews battled a blaze coming from a 30 foot hopper in the back of the facility and a nearby tractor-trailer that contained saw dust. The cause of the fire was a spark from welding earlier in the day that made its way through the air duct system into the hopper igniting the saw dust.

In June 2017,  a fire broke out in the bottom fan system of silo #1 at Crossville Hardwoods. Assistant Fire Chief Chris South said the fire continued to run the length of the facility’s duct system. From there, the fire swept through silo #2 and into silo #3 located inside the building. No injuries were reported.

(picture in story courtesy of Ammie Cassettey Seitner)