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WHITE CITY Businesses regroup after Biomass fire Whether sawdust fire led to burning buildings still being determined Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Sep. 12, 2016 at 5:00 PM Updated Sep 12, 2016 at 5:20 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Sep. 12, 2016 at 5:00 PM Updated Sep 12, 2016 at 5:20 PM » Social News A fire that may have started in a sawdust pile at Biomass One Sunday evening damaged three businesses, forcing an insulation company to set up shop elsewhere and temporarily shutting down a wood manufacturing business. Dave Fosenburg, operations manager for Petrochem Insulation Inc., said firefighters quickly put out a smoldering roof fire on his modular office building. He said firefighters covered equipment, and he was able to set up operations at his White City home. "It would have definitely burned to the ground," he said. "I would have been devastated." Nearby Western Valley Cutstock, which specializes in wood moldings, sustained severe water damage, including to its main office. Power was disconnected to the building Monday. A representative from the company declined to comment, and it was not clear when the business would reopen. The fire, which burned about three-quarters of an acre of a field, damaged three buildings off Avenue G but none were destroyed. The buildings, including one belonging to Biomass, are located a few hundred feet from the wood-chip pile. Fosenburg said he couldn't get near his offices Sunday as firefighters worked to save his building. "I don't really know what happened," he said. Fosenburg, whose company provides insulation for industrial applications, said firefighters covered computers and other equipment while they attacked the smoldering roof on the building his company rents from Biomass. He said fine wood dust covers most buildings in the area. His warehouse, about 50 yards from the office, wasn't affected, he said. Fosenburg said he wasn't sure when he would be able to move back into his offices. Kurt Lumpkin, manager of Biomass, said his company is working with firefighters to determine what happened Sunday afternoon and evening. At this point, he said, he couldn't comment on what led to the destructive fire. "We have affected neighbors," he said Monday. "We will fully comment on this tomorrow." He declined to say how much of his business was affected by the fire, though much of it appeared operational. Lumpkin said Biomass turns wood chips into energy that powers the equivalent of 25,000 homes annually. He said the wood-chip piles are burned to provide heat to two boilers that feed a steam generator that generates electricity into the grid. On Monday, Biomass workers appeared to routinely water down the massive pile of sawdust that caught fire Sunday. Wood chip piles, which generate a lot of internal heat, are a fire risk, which requires they be routinely moistened. Firefighters remained on high alert after a red-flag warning was issued Monday afternoon, indicating dry and windy conditions. Ashley Lara, spokeswoman for Jackson County Fire District No. 3, said fire crews continue to monitor the area around Biomass for any flareups. The investigation continued through Monday, and Lara said no cause had been determined. A fire was reported in a Biomass sawdust pile at around 2 p.m. Sunday, and a second call came in just after 5 p.m. Fire investigators are trying to determine whether sparks from the sawdust pile resulted in the later fires. Lara said she hasn't heard any reports that the second fire call was related to the first one earlier in the day. "I haven't heard any correlation between these two yet," she said. In general, sawdust piles are a common source of fire calls for her district, particularly in the summer, Lara said. She said the area being investigated by the fire marshal is about 10 acres, though most of it was not affected by the fire. Flames reached more than 25 feet during the height of the blaze, which was visible from Highway 62, and smoke was visible throughout the valley. Fire agencies across Jackson and Josephine counties as well as Oregon Department of Forestry rushed to battle the fire as it rapidly escalated. Most of the hot spots were extinguished by around 10 p.m. Fire crews continued to work through the night to check for flareups. While fire investigators work to determine a cause, Lara said, "There's no inkling that it has been something started intentionally." — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Sep. 12, 2016 at 5:00 PM Updated Sep 12, 2016 at 5:20 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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