JESUP, Ga. (From news reports) - The Rayonier Paper Mill in Jesup reportedly caught fire on Friday, Oct. 12, according to the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).

EMA officials continue to fight the fire. A nearby resident captured some photographs of the structure. The smoke could allegedly be seen in Hinesville.

According to EMA Director Donnie Ray, the fire spread when a digester, the main equipment for making chemical paper pulp, caught fire. As of Friday evening, there are still active flames in the digester which processes wood chips.

Please see the following statement from the Rayonier Paper Mill:

"On October 11th at approximately 6 p.m., an isolated fire occurred at our Jesup, Georgia plant. All employees and contractors are accounted for, safe, and uninjured. Our trained emergency response teams, along with local firefighters, quickly contained the incident. Production has been temporarily halted as we assess the extent of the impact on our facility. Importantly, the incident is under control and poses no ongoing risk to employees, contractors, or the surrounding community. We are conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire and will provide further updates as more information becomes available. RYAM is a global leader in cellulose-based technologies producing natural cellulose fibers. The Jesup facility has over 800 direct employees."