Furniture Factory Evacuated During Dust Collector FireFurniture Factory Evacuated During Dust Collector Fire

A fire in a dust collection system at the Ameriwood Industries furniture plant in Tiffin, OH Monday evening spread flames into the duct work and prompted the evacuation of workers present at the facility, a local newspaper reported.

Firefighters from the Tiffin Fire Rescue Division responded to the facility at about 8 p.m., tracing smoke from the dust collector vents to the fire in the duct work and machine, Fire Chief Kevin Veletean told the Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune. The crew was able to bring the flames under control within 15 minutes.

Veletean said a spark in the dust collector ignited sawdust. The company deployed maintenance workers to fix the damaged equipment following the incident and employees returned to work later that night.

The newspaper reported that all workers on site were safely evacuated during the fire with no injuries.

Ameriwood’s plant in Tiffin was fined $14,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for two serious safety violations in 2016, according to the agency’s records.