CHEHALIS, Wash. -- A fire chief estimated the damage from a blaze that destroyed a Chehalis truss and beam manufacturing business at $15 million.

Firefighters battled the huge fire overnight at the industrial complex that spilled chemicals into a creek that drains into the Chehalis River, the Department of Ecology said.

The fire destroyed Cascade Structural Laminators, also known as the Chehalis Lam plant, on Ribelin Road. The company creates laminated wood products.

VIDEO: Chemicals Spill Into River From Chehalis Fire
VIDEO: Cause Of Chehalis Factory Fire Under Investigation

DOE spokesman Kim Schmanke said an estimated 500 to 1,000 pounds of chemicals used in the wood laminating process appeared to have been released from the plant during firefighting efforts.

Schmanke said the chemicals reached Dillytwig Creek that drains into the Chehalis River. Officials said the chemicals have turned parts of the creek a brownish-orange color.

An environmental cleanup company hired by the plant is at the scene with equipment that will remove some of the chemicals from the creek.

Two officials from the Department of Ecology and members of the Lewis County Health Department are assessing the potential environmental impact or danger posed by the situation.

Firefighters responded to the fire at the plant 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night to find flames shooting about 50 feet into the air.

SLIDESHOW: Chehalis Business Consumed By Ferocious Fire

Witnesses told KIRO 7 they saw flames shooting even higher, hundreds of feet in the air and one man, Terry Eisenhower, shot home video.

"We heard a couple of explosions in there -- some propane tanks and some forklifts," Eisenhower told his wife on the phone as he filmed the fire. "Flames are going up about 300 feet into the air," he said.

The fire quickly escalated to three alarms and extra crews responded to help Lewis County firefighters battle the massive blaze.

Steve Killgore , president of the plant, said 15 of the plant's 20 employees will have to been laid off.

When Killgore arrived Thursday morning, the building was gone.

"The roof had already collapsed and it was totally involved in flames. We lost the main building and we lost our office and a fabrication building that we had," said Killgore.

Firefighters from several departments continued to pump water on the smoldering hulk Thursday morning.

Investigators are looking for the cause of the fire.