MANISTIQUE, MI— A criminal investigation has been launched into the cause of a fire at the U.P. Paper mill in Manistique.
Friday around 3 p.m., officers from the Manistique Public Safety Department were dispatched to the outdoor products storage area of the mill. They found flames 10 feet high in storage pad unit #4, which contained 1,100-pound compressed bales of recycled cardboard and other materials.
Fire crews from Schoolcraft and Delta counties responded and sprayed about a million gallons of water on the fire. Officials say an estimated 1,200 bales costing almost $100,000 were destroyed.
Primary fire crews were on the scene for about 18 hours before they handed the scene over to U.P. Paper personnel, who continued to overhaul smoldering materials.
Manistique Public Safety has identified people of interest in the case, but note none are connected in any way to U.P. Paper or the mill’s employees.
