Fire crews rushed to the former Cascades Tissue plant in Ransom Twp. early Wednesday morning to find it engulfed in flames.
Newton Ransom Volunteer Fire Chief Jeff LaCoe said firefighters responded to a report of fire on one side of the building at about 4 a.m. The blaze rapidly spread.
Firefighters responded to the former Cascades Tissue facility on Main Street in Ransom Township just before 4 a.m. Wednesday and found the building in flames. (COURTESY OF NEPA FIRE PHOTOGRAPHY)
Firefighters responded to the former Cascades Tissue facility on Main Street in Ransom Township just before 4 a.m. Wednesday and found the building in flames. (COURTESY OF NEPA FIRE PHOTOGRAPHY)
Firefighters responded to the former Cascades Tissue facility on Main Street in Ransom Township. just before 4 a.m. Wednesday and found the building in flames. (COURTESY OF NEPA FIRE PHOTOGRAPHY)
LaCoe said multiple areas of the building collapsed as firefighters fought the flames, including the roof. He described the efforts of firefighters as “defensive” and said the building was a total loss. The building didn’t have power at the time, he said.
Crews brought the fire under control just before sunrise but remained on scene until 10 a.m. to ensure the fire had been completely extinguished, LaCoe said.
There were no injuries, he said.
The plant closed its doors in 2021 and had not been in use since, Lacoe said.
When the closure was announced in October 2020, officials cited aging equipment, low profitability, high logistic costs and recent investments in other facilities contributing to the decision to close the plant.
LaCoe said there had been multiple fires at the site of the unused plant since it closed its doors.
Responding to the fire in addition to the Newton-Ransom crews were the Chinchilla, Justus, Clarks Summit, Lake Winola, Old Forge and Duryea fire departments.
LaCoe said a state police fire marshal responded to the scene early Wednesday but had not yet determined the cause.