Over 60 Firefighters Respond to Fire at Wood Pellet Plant in Ohio

Date:  January 22, 2019
Location:  Circleville, Ohio (USA)
Address:  2500 Owens Road, 43113

Type:  Dust Fire

Fuel:  Wood Dust
Industry:  Wood Pellet Manufacturing (Wood Products)
Equipment:  Unknown

Company:  American Wood Fibers Inc.
Database Incidents:  None Recorded

Loss:  No Injuries
Capital Cost:  Unknown

Status:  Open
Confirmation:  Unconfirmed

Company Description:
According to the company website,  American Wood Fibers Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. It produces wood pellets, firewood, animal bedding, industrial wood flour, and other wood fiber products. The Circleville plant, which opened in 1999, specializes in wood pellets. It is one of 10 plants owned by American Wood Fibers Inc., which employs 400 people across its various locations.

Incident Description:
On January 23, 2019, Powder & Bulk Solids reported a fire at a wood processing facility in Circleville, Ohio.

Firefighters from the Pickaway Township Fire Department arrived shortly after 2:30 p.m. Nearly 60 firefighters from Pickaway, Ross, Fairfield, and Hocking counties joined them.

At first, it was difficult to find the source of the fire, according to the Columbus Dispatch, but after the flames were extinguished, crews remained on the scene until after 8:30 p.m., extinguishing hot spots. The road outside the facility was closed for several hours.  

No injuries were reported and no property damage estimate was immediately available. The fire’s cause remains under investigation.

OSHA Inspections:
An establishment search turned up one OSHA inspection for American Wood Fibers Inc. in Circleville, but it was not flagged for combustible dust.

Sources:
Powder & Bulk Solids
Columbus Dispatch