SARTELL, Minn. -- It's the biggest fire in Sartell history.
It required firefighters to recall their hours of training, to try new firefighting tactics and work across municipal boundaries.
More than 14 fire departments responded Monday to the explosion and fire at Verso Paper mill in Sartell. One person died and five were injured; their names have not been released.
Sartell Fire Chief Ken Heim said in his 27 years as a Sartell firefighter he hasn't seen a fire as big as the one he fought Monday.
"This is a tragic day in Sartell," he said.
When firefighters responded they found a large fire in the paper warehouse. Crews from around the St. Cloud area responded to calls for aid.
At 7 p.m. about 90 percent of the fire was contained. But Heim said he was concerned about the structural integrity of the building and whether it was safe to put firefighters in the building.
The city was trying to contact a structural engineer to determine how safe the building was. But Heim said he planned to have crews remove the shell of the building and fight the fire from the outside. With 14 departments responding, Heim was able to rotate crews and give firefighters a much-needed break.
Firefighters are given a two-hour break so they can get rest and are brought back in shifts.
The Red Cross of Central Minnesota says it fed about 235 firefighters at the scene, public affairs volunteer Geno Sung said.
Heim said he plans to contact the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association to get more resources. After spending a day battling such a large fire, crews will need more relief, he said.
Heim said Verso has invested a large amount of money to put in fire suppression systems. But the explosion took out a water main. So firefighters had to hook up to the city's supply and tankers were brought in.
The fire department also got help from the State Patrol helicopter, which did 10 water drops on the building.
The helicopter also gave him an opportunity to go up in the air and see the fire from above. He said seeing the fire from the air was "priceless" in helping him know how to attack it.
Sartell firefighters train on how to battle a fire at the mill, he said. Each year they go through the building and make sure they are familiar with the facility's layout.
A fire at the mill can present a number of challenges. It's a large plant with multiple buildings and operations. Trains go through the facility every 20 minutes.
Monday's fire was contained to the paper warehouse where tightly spun rolls of paper are stored. As they burn the rolls feather out, making it hard to put out fire, Heim said. Each roll weighs a couple of tons, he said.
A mid-afternoon thunderstorm gave firefighters with another challenge. Crews continued to fight the fire throughout the night. Heim said crews could be on scene until Wednesday.
Copyright 2012 - St. Cloud Times, Minn.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
