
Date: November 26, 2019
Location: Magnolia, Arkansas (USA)
Address: 409 North Vine Street, 71753
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Wood Dust
Industry: Hardwood Flooring (Wood and Wood Products)
Equipment: Hopper
Company: Anthony Oak Flooring
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company’s website, Anthony Oak Flooring is the flooring division of Anthony Timberlands, which was founded in 1907 and manufactures hardwood flooring, engineered mats, and other timber products. It has seven locations across the state. The Magnolia facility was purchased in 2013 and produces produces unfinished oak hardwood flooring.
Incident Description:
On November 26, 2019, the Banner-News reported a fire in a giant sawdust hopper at a hardwood flooring manufacturer in Magnolia, Arkansas.
By the time firefighters arrived shortly after 11:20 a.m., flames could be seen shooting from the hopper, which was filled with wood remnants. After being tackled with water from two fire hoses, large sawdust pile, which consisted of mounds more than a dozen feet high, still smoldered and burned, so a bucket lift engine was used to head off the fire from above and below.
Smoke and flames began to recede after an hour. Firefighters worked to clear the sawdust piles below the hopper and knock away all smoldering bits while firemen in the bucket lift and on the ground continued to spray the area with water. The call was winding down as of 2:45 p.m.
Dozens of mill workers were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported.
OSHA Inspections:
An establishment search turned up one OSHA inspection for Anthony Oak Flooring on Magnolia, Arkansas, but it was not flagged for combustible dust.
Sources:
Banner-News