Blaze destroys manufacturing plant in Chehalis
The fire at the Cascade Structural Laminators plant started about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and flames had already engulfed the structure when firefighters arrived.
The huge fire burned through the night and crews were still on scene Thursday morning dousing hot spots as the wrecked building continued to smolder.
Fire Chief Bud Goodwillie said the laminate materials used in the plant helped fuel the intense fire.
"They've got a glue composition which is highly flammable," he said.
The cause of the fire was not known, and investigators will likely not be able to begin their work until the flames are completely extinguished.
Damage was estimated at about $15 million, and the state Ecology Department is assessing about 500 pounds of laminating glue that washed into a ditch with contaminated water from the fire.
