CHINA GROVE — China Grove firefighters responded Tuesday night to smoke inside machinery at Tuscarora Yarns Mill, the fourth time in a week, at the Thom Street site. The cause of the smoke has not been determined, China Grove Fire Chief Jeff Gledhill said.
The latest call came in shortly before 11 p.m. and firefighters left the scene shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Gledhill said there was no fire, but the duct work in some machinery was smoldering.
“The call came in as smoke showing and we went in the building and that’s what we found,” he said.
The fire was under control in 30 minutes, but firefighters stayed longer to make sure the smoke didn’t get into the duct. The only damage was to the cotton.
Sometimes there’s cotton in the duct work, which could ignite, Gledhill said.
Firefighters had been called to the mill three times before, responding to different parts of the mill for similar calls to different machinery. Firefighters responded to a fire at the mill on Feb. 14 where a fire apparently began inside a ventilation shaft.
In addition to China Grove, Landis, Locke and Bostian Heights fire departments responded to the Tuesday night incident. Rowan Rescue Squad also responded to the scene.