Employees of Decorative Panels International helped Alpena Fire Department firefighters combat a fire in the company’s dryer area on Thursday.

Nobody was injured in the fire, and the plant continued operating.

About 7 p.m., firefighters responded to a call to DPI, discovering heavy smoke when they arrived. Plant personnel helped firefighters identify hot spots in hidden areas, according to Alpena Fire Chief Bill Forbush, who praised plant officials for cooperating with the effort.

Firefighters extinguished the fire in about two hours, Forbush said.

An updated emergency plan, established by the plant with the assistance of Community Risk Reduction Captain Andy Marceau, helped with the response to Thursday’s fire, Forbush said.

The fire marked the first emergency activation of the city’s fire auxiliary, which includes three firefighters in the fire academy at Alpena Community College and one certified firefighter/EMT. Help from the auxiliary eliminated the need to call in mutual aid, according to Forbush.

Firefighters used two engines, a ladder tower, four ambulances and a chief vehicle at the incident.