Fires damage plant roof

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: December 28, 2009

Fires damaged the roof of Valdese Weavers on Sunday night, but the textile company was back in operation on Monday.
Officials are searching for a cause at the plant located off Interstate 40 at the Rutherford College exit.
Valdese Fire Department Chief Charlie Watts said an electrical spark or static electricity likely caught lint on fire. Lint is known to build up in textile plants.
Carson Copeland, chief operating officer for the company, said company officials believe the fires were due to an electrical shortage. He said they were checking lights and plugs on Monday to try to find any possible shortage.
Watts' department got the call just before 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Watts said. It was brought under control just after 8:15 p.m., he said.
Watts said the first fire department unit on the scene found multiple fires in the ceiling of the plant.
There were fires on two different places in the roof of the plant, Watts said.
The plant was empty at the time, Watts said, because it was shut down for the Christmas holiday. Security guards at the plant found the fire, he said.
The fires broke out in the weaving room, he said.
Copeland said no equipment was damaged. The main damage suffered was to the roof.
The company operated a partial third shift on Sunday night and a full first shift on Monday, Copeland said.
A roofing company was there on Monday to repair the damage and Copeland said he expects them to finish by Wednesday.
Copeland estimated the damage at $20,000.
Copeland said he's thankful that the security guards found the fires and that the first departments who responded kept any unnecessary damage at a minimum.
In addition to Valdese, Lovelady, Triple Community and Glen Alpine fire departments responded, as well as Burke County EMS, Watts said.

Fires damage plant roof

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