Closed Mill Burns Down On Waterfront In Anacortes

A fast-moving fire that apparently started with an explosion was allowed to destroy a recently closed plywood mill on the Anacortes waterfront early yesterday.

About half of the five-acre building was on pilings over an arm of Fidalgo Bay, and the flames spread so rapidly, said Capt. Iver Johnson, that it would have been unsafe for firefighters to enter the huge building to battle the flames.

Firefighters from Anacortes, Summit Park and Lake Erie/Dewey Beach Fire districts saved a smaller structure about 30 feet from the mill and another about 300 feet away, he said.

The fire was reported at 2:08 a.m. The 238,000-square-foot building was full of flames when the first firefighters arrived.

Johnson said the fire was finally brought under control at 6:30 a.m. yesterday but crews remained on the scene all day dealing with spot fires.

Electricity to all of Anacortes and the San Juan Islands was cut off because of the danger of high voltage lines near the burning building falling. It was restored at 5:30 a.m., Johnson said.

The mill, built in 1939 and most recently operated as Custom Plywood Co., was shut down a month ago. "It was filled with sawdust and creosoted timbers and there were some propane tanks in there," said Johnson.

Electricity and other utility services to the building had been cut off earlier but some sprinklers appeared to be spraying water when firefighters arrived, he said.

Johnson said two contractors have had crews in the structure removing mill equipment, copper pipe and other salvageable materials and one was at work until mid-afternoon Saturday. A security guard left at midnight, two hours before the fire was reported.

The building also had a large propane storage tank and smaller propane tanks on forklifts, Johnson said. Embers from the fire were scattered throughout the city but did not start any secondary fires. No injuries were reported.

Cause of the fire and a loss figure were not available. Johnson said it was not known if the building was scheduled for demolition. "At one point a while ago, there was talk of turning it into boat storage," he said.