JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- A fire in the press room of The Clarion-Ledger forced workers to evacuate and slightly injured seven people Thursday.
A Jackson Fire Department spokesman said the fire was quickly extinguished. The employees were treated for possible smoke inhalation.
``It was a small press room fire put out by employees'' said Mike Craft, the newspaper's president and publisher.
Craft said he expected only minor damage.
``We don't think it will harm our ability to print,'' he said.
Press room employee Tim Morse said he noticed the fire and quickly shut down the press.
Richard Bonney, one of those who tried to put out the blaze, said workers first tried to pull paper out of the press rollers, but realized some of the material was on fire.
``We put it out for a second and it started again,'' Bonney said.
During the fire, Bonney collapsed and was dragged out of the building by press room employees Darrell Roberts and Greg Anderson.
About an hour after the fire, Bonney collapsed again and was taken to Baptist Medical Center. He returned to work about three hours later.
Morse said that when employees used fire extinguishers on the blaze, it initially caused more problems.
``Flames came out from under the press,'' he said.
As the smoke began to engulf the room, Morse said he and other employees evacuated.
Dozens of workers filed out of the newspaper, which takes up a city block, and gathered under nearby shady areas as the morning warmed under a bright sun.
Roy Ghee, manager of the paper's packing center, said a technician informed him of the fire. He and the worker tried to use extinguishers on the blaze.
Ghee said they had to evacuate because ``there was just smoke everywhere.''
The Gannett-owned newspaper, with a daily circulation of about 100,000, is the largest daily in the state.
