SAINT CLOUD -- A sawmill in Osceola County burned to the ground early Thursday morning.
Fire officials said that around 2:30 a.m., flames were spotted coming from the Kempfer family's sawmill. Firefighters said that when they arrived on the scene, one of the buildings was already completely engulfed in flame and had to spread to other buildings.
The sawmill's owner said the fire started in an electrical building and then spread to the main building.
One of the owners of the business said he had to watch the building his family has owned for the last 25 years go up in flames.
"When I got here I knew it was all gone. The whole mill itself was already in flames. The roof was caving in," said Hoppy Kempfer.
Firefighters continue to work on knocking down hotspots. No official cause has been found,
The sawmill's owners said they were able to save some equipment. They estimate the damage at several million dollars.
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