The Kent Fire Department responded Monday to a possible structure fire at the Star of the West Milling Co. building on North Water Street, blocking traffic for several hours. No injuries were reported.

A worker from the mill who asked to not be named said several employees of the company were working on the fourth floor when they smelled smoke. Soon after, he said, the sprinkler system was activated and the building was evacuated.

Both Kent and Stow fire departments responded to the scene around 5:30 p.m. Monday. The Kent Police Department blocked traffic along North Water Street from Main Street to the Fairchild Avenue bridge.

According to the Portage County Law and Fire emergency response scanner, members of the Stow department were called off shortly after 6 p.m. Crew from the Kent department stayed on scene to clear an old pipe that ran from within the building to the outside grains silos.

The Mill was processing flour, the worker said, and they were initially worried that the building would either catch fire or possibly explode.

Contact Matt Merchant at [email protected].