Standing confidently as firefighters attacked a four-alarm fire at Apex Urethane Millwork in Red Lion Tuesday, the company's chief operating officer, Michael Sampere, talked about getting back to work.

And if it took working around the clock, Apex would be back into production Monday.

He reassured the 37 workers who evacuated the smoky building that they would get a steady paycheck and not be temporarily laid off because of the fire.

"The building industry is very demanding. You have to make sure you have the product there. We will be there," Sampere said.

Just before 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, a silo used to collect dust created in the urethane molding production process caught fire, spreading to a nearby four-story building at 105 S. Church Lane. The upper floors were used for storage, the lower floors for production.

Three ladder trucks doused the 30-foot dust collector and building for more than an hour, finally getting the blaze under control about 2:30 p.m. with help from multiple fire companies.

Firefighters were initially cautious because the resins used in production create a cyanide gas when burned. Air quality control tests confirmed the public was not in danger, Sampere said.

The fire was largely contained to the dust collector. The main

building had smoke and water damage and broken windows. Three other buildings, part of the Apex campus, were not affected.

In top production, Apex employees 100 people, Sampere said.

Sampere said he was at his desk in the office Tuesday when he heard a commotion. A man who was walking down the street was yelling about a fire. He ran outside and saw heavy smoke and flames from the dust collector. He went back inside, pulled the fire alarm system and called 911.

Everyone inside the

Firefighters check for hot spots in a dust collector Tuesday at the manufacturing plant. (Daily Record/Sunday News - Bil Bowden)

Employee John Miller said he remembers someone yelling something was burning and to get out. He ran outside where he saw the dust collector on fire.

"The flames were soaring up into the sky," Miller said.

Patrick McCall was driving a forklift in a nearby building when he saw the smoke and flames. He felt relieved once he learned

everyone was out safely but began to get nervous about whether he would be out of a job until he talked with Sampere.

"It's something that happens. The boss said I'll be working," he said.

Sampere said that he might hire 20 temporary employees to help with the cleanup so production can resume. Apex is a millwork retail specialist that sells to lumber companies.

Sampere said he did not have a damage estimate but said the company was insured. Apex purchased the complex from Zell Brothers two years ago.

"I feel very fortunate. It could have been worse," he said.

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