Sprinklers douse fire at milk plant dryer is damaged

A fire erupted in a milk dryer at the Maryland-Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative in North Laurel yesterday, but Howard County fire officials said there was little damage because sprinklers doused the fire before it could spread.

The fire began about 2:15 p.m. at the plant between Gorman Road and Route 216, said Lt. Chris Cangemi, a spokesman for the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue.

He said damage was confined to the dryer, which turns milk into evaporated milk.

Workers at the cooperative were checking into mechanical problems to find the source of the problem, fire officials said.