DURHAM, Ontario (18 April 2012) - Production at the Durham Furniture plant here will be halted for rest of the week after a fire damaged an outbuilding in the early hours of this past Tuesday morning. However, the company said there should be no delay in shipments to retailers.

According to the Owen Sound Sun Times, some 50 members of the West Grey, Hanover and Mount Forest fire departments were called to put out a fire in the plant's sawdust distribution centre and a four-storey sawdust collection bin adjacent to the century-old red brick factory building.

Gord Dilworth, company president and chief executive officer, told Home Goods Online there was no damage to the main factory itself and there were no injuries although Durham's 200 production employees will be off the job for a few days. "We hope to be operating early next week," he said.

The Sun Times quoted West Grey fire chief Phil Schwartz describing the distribution centre as a garage-like structure where tractor trailers are loaded with sawdust. Both the distribution centre and a tractor trailer were destroyed as was some loading equipment. "There's no damage to the plant itself," Schwartz said.

No damage estimate was given, although the fire chief indicated it would be "high."

Although the cause of the fire hasn't been determined, Schwartz confirmed it wasn't "suspicious."

Click here to read the complete report in the Owen Sound Sun Times.