A conveyor belt caught fire early this afternoon causing thick black smoke to rise above the EACOM Sawmill.
The fire threatened a $25-million facility which was rebuilt following a 2012 fire at the same mill, but fire crews were able to prevent the blaze from causing serious damage to the new structure, said Deputy Fire Chief Gerry Sabourin, of the Timmins Fire Department.
"Fire crews quickly got the conveyor belt out and were able to confine the hot spots on the building and minimize the damage," he said.
Roughly 30 firefighters worked for about an hour to contain the fire, which occurred about an hour after the conveyor belt was shut down, said Sabourin.
Sabourin said the fire is believed to have been caused by a mechanical failure of some type in the conveyor.
He said fire dripping from the conveyor threatened to set the mill's main structure on fire.
He said the belt itself was the source of the thick black smoke witnessed by Timmins residents.
"Its like a tire fire. Its basically the same thing," he said.
Sabourin said it was too early to put an estimate on damage.
This is the same site destroyed by fire in January 2012. It reopened a little over a year ago.
(PHOTOS: Firefighters (above) battle this afternoon's blaze at the EACOM Sawmill. Dave Kramer photo)