Date: June 3, 2019
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario (Canada)
Address: 2001 Neebing Avenue, P7E 6S3
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Wood Dust
Industry: Paper Products (Pulp and Paper)
Equipment: Dust Collector
Company: Resolute Forest Products
Database Incidents: IID438
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Resolute Forest Products began as a small Quebec company in 1820. Over the following two centuries, it grew from 20 sawmills along the St. Lawrence River to an enterprise with over 40 pulp, paper, wood products and tissue facilities in the United States and Canada.
Incident Description:
On June 3, 2019, TBWatch reported a fire at a pulp and paper mill in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue responded to reports of a structure fire at around 2:30 p.m. They encountered high heat and smoke being issued from a dust collector. Wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus, they were able to contain the fire to the unit, thus limiting damage to the wood fibre contents.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is believed to be an overheated piece of machinery.
Previous Incidents:
On March 17, 2019, firefighters were called to the plant shortly after 3:00 a.m. A fire had started in a paper machine after a bearing failure and spread to the ventilation system. Mill employees had already gotten it under control, so the fire crews assisted them in completely extinguishing the fire.
Sources:
TBWatch
