Nobody hurt in blaze in Columbia Heights

A fire Tuesday morning at RBM Lumber Inc., in Columbia Heights destroyed a kiln used to dry lumber.

Firefighters from four departments and RBM's own heavy-equipment operators managed, however, to save two nearby kilns as they worked to stop the spread of flames.

The cause of the fire was suspected to be an ember that escaped from a sawdust-fired boiler inside the destroyed kiln.

Bad Rock Fire Chief Rick Hagen said lumber company owners estimated damage at $150,000. They have no insurance, he said.

Hagen said Columbia Falls, Creston, Martin City and Bad Rock fire departments sent 22 firefighters plus equipment to the blaze, which was reported at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Ed Burlingame from the state Fire Services Training School, who also is a member of the Blankenship Fire Department, was the safety officer at the scene.

Three Rivers EMS sent an ambulance and two workers, who stood by until the fire was under control.

Hagen said one kiln was engulfed, with flames shooting out the top, when firefighters arrived. Two other kilns were within several feet of the first one, he said.

It took about 20 minutes to knock down the flames after crews arrived, he said. Then workers for the lumber company used their heavy equipment to dismantle the burning kiln and move its walls away from the other structures as firefighters continued their efforts.

All worked together in mop-up, he said. There were no injuries.

One of the other two kilns had some minor surface scorching.

Hagen said a spark apparently escaped from the boiler door when it was opened for inspection early Tuesday, then landed on part of the dry kiln structure and smoldered until the structure caught fire.

"They're pretty fire-conscious up there," he said of the Thompson family which owns and operates RBM Lumber. Very few fires have occurred there, he said.

"They're pretty self-sufficient," Hagen added. "They're very conscious of how flammable their materials are."

Hagen said firefighters stayed on the scene until about 10:30 a.m.