DILLARD, OR -- Roseburg Forest Product's Dillard particleboard plant reportedly will be out of commission for up to three weeks following a July 9 fire.

Winston-Dillard Fire officials told KVAL TV that a conveyor belt that carries sawdust to storage silos caught fire and spread to other bins. Firefighters were challenged battling the blaze because of 20 mph winds and the difficulty to access areas where fires were burning.

The fire caused extensive damage to parts of the conveyor and firemen did further damage to the conveyor system when they chopped into it to clear room for hoses.

The News-Review reported that the particleboard production at the plant will likely be shut down from two to three weeks.

No injuries were reported.

Roseburg recently announced that it will close two of its operations in South Carolina later this year: the Orangeburg laminating plant which the company purchased from Decolam back in 2007; and its particleboard facility in Russellville.

In addition, Roseburg is finalizing its purchase of a particleboard plant in Simsboro, LA, from Flakeboard.

Posted by Rich Christianson