Date: May 27, 2018
Location: Mount Gambier (Australia)
Address: White Avenue, 5290
Fuel: Pine Chips (Wood)
Industry: Particle Board (Wood Products)
Equipment: Silo
Company: Borg Manufacturing
Previous Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
Borg Manufacturing is a leading manufacturing company of wood panels and other joinery components. According to the company website they purchased the Mount Gambier particleboard facility in January 2018 from Carter Holt Harvey who is one of the largest wood and timber product manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand.
Description of Particle Board Plant Explosion:
On May 27 2018, Adelaide Now reported a dust explosion in a silo containing wood chips in Mount Gambier, Australia. An air grader and two bag houses, which were part of the facility, were also damaged in the resulting fire.
Powder & Bulk Solids reported that 30 firefighters responded to the scene and that homes surrounding the facility were instructed to keep their windows shut due to smoke concerns. Officials warned that the silo fire may continue burning for days after the incident. No one is believed to be injured in the wood silo explosion or fire.
Previous Incidents:
Several fires and explosions have been reported at the particle board facility and other properties owned by Carter Holt Harvey in Mount Gambier. In May 2013, ABC News reported a wood chip fire in the silo. Fire crews had to cut a hole in the side of the silo to cool the blaze. In September 2014, the Daily Telegraph reported a wood chip silo fire and explosion at the Carter Holt Harvey sawmill off the Jubilee Highway.
In a more recent incident, on January 27 2017, news.au.com reported two fires at the sawmill location. After firefighters battled the fires for 1.5 hours a dust explosion occurred as they were getting ready to leave the facility. The explosion caused $20,000 in damage but no one was injured.
There have also been fire and explosion concerns at other Carter Holt Harvey facilities throughout Australia and New Zealand. In 2006, the New Zealand Herald reported at wood dust explosion at the wood panel processing facility in Canterbury. In 2016, the TA Times reported a wood silo fire in Tumut, Australia, which firefighters feared could develop into a dust explosion.
Sources:
Adelaide Now
Powder & Bulk Solids
ABC News
Daily Telegraph
news.au.com
New Zealand Herald
TA Times
