Fire Destroys WoodMill Winery in Vale, North Carolina
VALE, N.C. — A devastating fire destroyed the WoodMill Winery in Lincoln County on Sunday morning, drawing multiple fire departments and emergency crews to the scene.
Firefighters Battle Heavy Smoke and Flames
The blaze was reported around 8 a.m. Sunday at the winery in Vale, where arriving crews discovered a massive column of thick black smoke. The North 321 Fire Department confirmed that additional departments were quickly called for backup due to the scale of the fire.
Five fire departments, supported by 40 firefighters, worked together to contain the flames. By 10:30 a.m., crews had brought the fire under control but continued to extinguish hot spots throughout the day.
Emergency Crews Mitigate Wine Runoff
The fire not only destroyed the structure but also threatened the surrounding area with runoff from the wine production facilities. According to firefighters, the Lincoln County Emergency Management team was called to help manage the large amount of wine and storage materials released during the blaze.
Officials noted that environmental precautions were taken to prevent the runoff from causing further damage to the community.
Winery Owners Vow to Rebuild
Despite the devastation, the owners of WoodMill Winery expressed determination to recover from the loss. In a statement shared on their Facebook page, the winery confirmed plans to rebuild and reopen.
“We will rebuild,” the winery posted, thanking the community for its support following the fire.
The cause of the fire has not yet been disclosed, and officials say the investigation is ongoing.
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