Weekend Blaze at Georgia Paper Mill Under Investigation

Fire investigators are trying to determine what started a blaze that caused extensive damage to a paper mill in northwest Georgia over the weekend.

A large building at the International Paper mill in Coosa, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Rome, caught fire early Sunday morning, Rome-Floyd County Fire officials confirmed.

One mill employee was taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, but their condition wasn’t serious, Fire Marshal Mary Catherine Chewning told the Rome News-Tribune. No serious injuries were reported, according to the company.

The fire appeared to have started near two large paper machines, Chewning said. Collapsed roofs and walls, as well as the location of the blaze, made the flames difficult to fight, Battalion Chief Clay Walker added. Investigators were on the scene Monday trying to learn more about the origin.

International Paper hasn’t yet determined the fire’s impact on production, spokeswoman Jenna Guzman said in a statement obtained by news outlets.