Explosion and Fire Reported at Androscoggin Mill, in Jay Maine.

An explosion and fire was reported about noon today (4/15) at the Androscoggin Mill, in Jay Maine. According to an eyewitness one of the mill’s two digesters exploded and caught on fire.  A digester is a machine that takes wood chips and mixes it with chemicals to make pulp.  According to the Maine Department of Safety spokesperson Steve McCausland, all employees and contractors have been accounted for and there are no injuries have been reported. Debris from the explosion was found as far a 2-miles from the mill. The mill was sold by Verso Paper earlier this year to Pixelle Specialty Paper Solutions.