CANADA (From news reports) -- 100 Mile Fire Rescue extinguished a fire at West Fraser - 100 Mile Lumber this weekend.
Fire Chief Dave Bissat said crews were called out to the mill at 5:37 a.m. on Saturday, July 13 for a fire "inside a fine dust silo." The silo was around 120 feet tall and 30 feet wide. Around 15 firefighters responded and Bissat said that the fire was brought under control by mid-morning, however, the fire was still burning inside the silo.
"We are keeping the exterior of the silo cool by spraying it with water and we are protecting the surrounding infrastructure while we await resources to extinguish the fire fully," Bissat said Saturday.
To fully extinguish the flames, Bissat said West Fraser hired a nitrogen truck from Alberta to come and "pierce the silo to cool the fire" so 100 Mile Fire Rescue and mill workers could open the silo and remove its contents. No injuries were sustained during this operation and no damage was done to the surrounding infrastructure.
Bissat said his crews stayed on the scene until 8:45 p.m. Sunday night to ensure the blaze was fully extinguished.
"I'd like to highlight that the mill employees worked tirelessly around the clock to mitigate all hazards and devise the best possible solutions," Bissat said. "Additionally, I'd like to thank the 108 Mile Volunteer Fire Department, the Lone Butte Volunteer Fire Department and BC Ambulance for their assistance during the peak of this operation for a few hours."
He also praised his crews who continued to respond to calls around the clock before, during and directly after the incident. Bissat said that the cause of the fire is still unknown as of Monday, July 15.
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