Authorities: Employee dies during fire at U.P. cedar mill

Carney — A person who died in a large fire at a cedar mill in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula has been identified as an employee of the business.

Menominee County deputies were attempting to locate workers Thursday at Superior Cedar Products in Carney when the employee was found on burning equipment, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

The worker’s name was not released.

The blaze started Thursday afternoon about 80 miles south of Marquette and east of the Wisconsin state line.

Deputies were called to the mill on a report that an equipment fire had spread to piles of wood.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer later declared a state of emergency in Menominee County to make sure state resources were available to help in preventing the fire’s further spread.

More than 100 firefighters responded and contained the blaze.