SWEDEN (News release) -- A conveyor feeding wood chips both to the hardwood and softwood digesters at Metsä Board's Husum pulp mill in Sweden caught fire on Friday, 18 June at about 12.30 CET. The city fire brigade managed to get the fire under control by about 14.30 CET and could hand over the responsibilities for surveillance to the Husum mill local fire brigade at 21.30 CET.

The fire did not spread to other buildings and it did not cause personal injuries.

The cause of the fire is being investigated. Investigation at the parts and facilities damaged by the fire has been started on Saturday morning.

Currently, pulp and paperboard production at the Husum integrated mill is at a standstill. According to preliminary estimates, pulp production would be at a standstill for four weeks. Paperboard production is expected to start in the coming days at a lower than normal capacity.

The magnitude of the damage caused by the fire and effects on production are under further evaluation.