MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — Fire crews in Madison County continued to battle a fire at a lumber company Thursday.
The fire was reported at Hooper Timber Company located at 5024 Brownsville Highway in Demark around 5:30 Thursday morning.
Fire crews were called to the business more than a week ago to extinguish a fire in a large mulch pile, but the stubborn fire apparently refused to die.
“The fire department came out and tried to put it out, and it just keeps re-kindling back. About every two or three days it keeps coming back,” Timmy Hooper, owner of Hooper Timber Company, said.
Firefighters and workers are worried about windy conditions causing even more damage. A $750,000 processing machine has already been destroyed.
Like a hungry beast, the fire steadily consumed everything in its path. Madison County Fire Chief Eric Turner said the fire had plenty to feed on.
“They’re hard fires to put out. The area where this is burning is probably about 30 feet deep in saw dust and timber and so forth,” he said.
A small army of firefighters with a dozen water tankers worked to contain and control the fire, while the company’s 40 employees continued cutting timber into lumber, cross ties, and other items.
“And that’s kind of how we have to handle these fires. Just contain them to one area and let them work their course and burn out,” Turner said.
High winds were expected to change direction Thursday afternoon, and Hooper wasn’t going to take any chances with the safety of his workers.
“The wind is going to be out of the North and that’s going to push the smoke on my guys. So, we’re going to shut down now,” he said.
Turner said crews are in for a long battle that could last through the night.
There have been no reported injuries.