Fire damages lumber yard

Published 4:12 pm Thursday, July 9, 2020

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Five fire departments responded to the fire of a dry kiln at Ontario Hardwood located at 3828 Horseshoe Bend Rd in Keysville Sunday, July 5.

According to Keysville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Lynn Duffey, the call for the fire came in at 8:41 a.m. Crews cleared the scene around noon.

Duffey said it is believed that a bearing failed in a motor causing the loading bin that was full of sawdust and the trailer underneath it to catch on fire.

Both the loading bin and the trailer sustained heavy damage.

Drakes Branch, Charlotte Court House, Meherrin, and Hampden-Sydney Fire Departments also responded to the fire.

Ontario Hardwood produces 12 million board feet of dried lumber per year. Founded in 1977, the company specializes in green and kiln-dried ash, maple, poplar, red oak, white oak, and cypress.