Camas paper mill fire contained

CAMAS — Firefighters from four agencies on Thursday attacked and swiftly contained a fire at the Georgia-Pacific paper mill in downtown Camas.

Damage was minimal, according to Georgia-Pacific and Vancouver Fire Department officials.

The fire was discovered above the No. 11 Paper Machine Building, just west of the flashing traffic light at the intersection of Northeast Third Avenue and Adams Street. The blaze was in the ventilation system in the space between the tin roof and the ceiling, firefighters said.

The four employees who operate the machine were expected to work the duration of their shift. No one was hurt, officials said.

“We’re ready to start up within the hour,” said Nancy Viuhkola, a Georgia-Pacific spokeswoman.

An investigation to determine the cause of the fire was expected to be completed within 24 hours, Viuhkola said. Slightly more than a year ago, the same area of the facility caught fire. The company will conduct an internal investigation. A damage estimate was not available.

A citizen, who called 911 at 9:06 Thursday morning, reported seeing black smoke coming from the back of the complex, a 911 dispatcher said.

Shortly after 10:30 a.m., all five engines and 33 firefighters started leaving the site.

Camas police blocked the streets surrounding the mill, at 401 N.E. Adams St., while crews fought the blaze.

Vancouver, Clark County, Camas and Washougal fire departments responded.

Parts of the Camas mill complex are more than 100 years old and date from the early days of the Northwest timber and paper industry. Georgia-Pacific, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, has owned the mill since 2000. During those nine years, mill production and related employment have declined. The mill, which employed as many as 1,500 workers in the 1990s, now produces one line of white business papers and employs fewer than 600.

Business editor Julia Anderson contributed to this story.