MARBLE, Pa. -  Hardwood and lumber products company Allegheny Wood Products has laid off 87 employees after a January 4 fire destroyed most of its sawmill in Marble, Pennsylvania.

 

The cause of the fire, which reportedly began somewhere inside the mill, is still under investigation. Firefighers arrived to a completely engulfed building. Nearby residents reported hearing explosions as the fire broke out. Billowing clouds were seen. There were even reports of power outages. No injuries were reported.

 

Damage estimates are around $3 million. A Worker Adjustment and Retainment Notification Act (WARN) notice has been filed, which requires employers to provide a termination notice at least 60 days prior. It isn't yet known if the mill will reopen.

 

The fire isn't the only cause of recent layoffs. In November, exploreJeffersonpa reported that Allegheny laid off a shift of workers because of tariffs.

 

Allegheny is a big hardwood lumber company - operating 14 sawmills and other facilities in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The company offers red oak, white oak, cherry, basswood, hard and soft maple, ash, walnut, and yellow poplar, as well as kiln dried, pallet, and green lumber. It also provides sawdust, bark, sawmill slabs, and hardwood chips internationally.