TURNERS FALLS — The state’s remaining Strathmore mills are dwindling, with the former mill complex at 20 Canal St. on track for demolition next year and its only other counterpart, located in Russell, having partially collapsed on Monday.

According to the Russell-Montgomery Police Department, Mill No. 1 off of Woronoco Road experienced a partial collapse on the building’s north side. Seven workers, who were subcontractors with Complete Property Solutions LLC, were inside the building at the time. Three employees became trapped and were injured, but were rescued by their colleagues.

Two of the three injured workers were taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, while the third was airlifted there by helicopter. According to the Police Department, the cause of the building’s collapse remains under investigation.

In Turners Falls, the former Strathmore mill complex has been a major focus for redevelopment, while also being a decaying structure at risk of collapse. Nearly $10 million in federal and state funding has been awarded to the town to pay for demolition and redevelopment. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation is the source of $5 million, which is being added to the $4.92 million awarded to the town by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The complex was built in 1874 as one of the first mills in Turners Falls. Though the building first operated under the Keith Paper Co., the Strathmore Paper Co. bought it in 1954. The mill ceased paper manufacturing in 1994.

A 2007 fire, determined to be caused by arson, destroyed Building 10 and damaged two other buildings. It has been under town ownership since 2010. The property includes 10 buildings on a 1.93-acre site.

Montague Town Administrator Walter Ramsey explained that while the former Strathmore mill is in poor structural condition and a collapse can’t be ruled out, work has been done to prevent people from entering and to repair certain sections to stabilize it.

“Since the town has taken ownership of it … roof repairs have been done, windows have been boarded up, fencing has been installed for security and lines have been drained,” Ramsey said. “The town has been taking proactive measures to keep the building as secure and safe as possible.”

These measures were paid for using $10,000 from Montague’s Community Development Discretionary Unsafe/Unhealthy Buildings Account after town officials observed increase in unauthorized entry attempts.

The Strathmore mill is on track for demolition next summer, and engineers with Tighe & Bond have been working to formalize a demolition plan, funded through a $197,000 Site Readiness Program grant and a state earmark.

“No physical work has been done, but Tighe & Bond has been very busy working on that demolition design work,” Ramsey said. “They’ve been in the mill doing assessments and developing the bid package and working around the details of what to do around the hydro facility that’s in the mill, and working with FirstLight over the logistics of taking down their foot bridge.”

On a historical level, the Strathmore mill complex was an important economic asset to Montague. David Brule, vice chair of the Montague Historical Commission, explained that the mill was a major employer in the village of Turners Falls, and remains of interest to community members for its historical nature.

“The relevance is you see those buildings as a boom and then the bust of the industrial era,” Brule said, noting that his own family settled in Turners Falls because of the economic opportunities within the mill and the other industries along the canal.

Although the historical relevance of the mill remains, Brule noted the degradation of the structures is of concern and that the complex is “dangerous” in its current state.

Ed Gregory, a member of the Montague Historical Society, echoed Brule’s concerns about the mill’s condition.

“The mill is in bad shape and I do believe the town is making the best decision,” Gregory said of the looming demolition.

When asked about the possibility of a collapse, Gregory mentioned that the dangerous material in the mill has been removed, meaning it presents less of a danger to the Connecticut River.

In looking to the future post-demolition, Gregory thinks the land where the mill is located would serve well as a green space compared to retail or housing, due to the property’s lack of accessibility, although no definitive plans have been developed.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.