SOLON -- A fire fueled by dust and aged wood tore through the former Solon Manufacturing plant on Ferry Street Wednesday, taking with it most of the second story, according to Fire Chief Ronald Brown.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, Brown said. This is the second time in two months firefighters have responded to a structure fire at the vacant plant, a building Brown has labeled a hazard.

Brown said he has worried for a long time that someone would get hurt inside the building -- which he said belongs to a sheet metal company in Newport .

"There are conveyors in the floor where a firefighter could drop right out of sight if he's not careful," Brown said.

He said trespassers already had been going inside and setting fires.

Brown said Wednesday's fire got a 15-minute head start when a man using a cutting torch in the building discovered the fire but was unable to use his cell phone.

"I didn't get his name, but he said he grabbed a cell phone and it wouldn't work, so he went to a store and asked to use the phone. But they were using the cash register and wouldn't let him use the phone, so he came right to the fire station," Brown said. "I don't know if he told them he was reporting a fire. Anyway, that took up 15 minutes. There was a lot of fire and a lot of smoke when I got there."

Brown said damage done at a Feb. 16 fire at the plant was not serious, but that Wednesday's fire did a lot of damage. He said he couldn't give an estimate.

"But workers are supposed to be coming next week with an excavator and tearing it apart," Brown said. "My headache will be gone." At least two dozens firefighters from Solon, Bingham, North Anson and Madison fought the blaze for more than an hour, according to Brown.

"Nobody got hurt, but it was a tough one," Brown said.

Darla L. Pickett -- 474-9534, Ext. 341

dpickett@centralmaine.com