Longview, Washington, USA 02 August 2017 -- (From news reports) -- Local firefighters responded to the Weyerhaeuser mill early Thursday morning after a conveyor belt about 50 feet above the ground caught fire.

Crews from Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue and Longview Fire Department responded at about 2 a.m. and the fire was completely out within 45 minutes.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, said Longview Fire Chief Phil Jurmu.

Jurmu said most belt fires are typically the result of high levels of friction, which can ignite sawdust chips.

The elevated conveyor system initially made it difficult to for crews to get to the fire, Jurmu said.

By using a water cannon to attack the fire from the ground, firefighters extinguished the blaze within about 10 minutes. Crews then checked the conveyor system for hot spots to ensure no smoldering embers remained.

Damage to the machinery was minimal, officials said.