
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 2, 1991                   TAG: 9103020095
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Short

FIRE CAUSES EVACUATION OF RADFORD PLANT

About 90 employees at New River Industries Inc. in Radford had to be evacuated from the textile plant Thursday morning when a fire spread through the air duct system.

Radford Fire Chief Calvin Whitt said the fire was caused by a short circuit in a small motor in one of the plant's washer rooms.

It spread to the duct system when lint in the ducts ignited. Whitt said the building's sprinklers extinguished the fire within a few minutes.

Larry Maust, vice president of manufacturing, said the fire started about 7:30 a.m. and interrupted plant operations until about 10 a.m. while workers mopped up the water.

He declined to estimate the amount of damage until after the company's insurance carrier had investigated. New River Industries employs about 500 people.

by CNB