Date: January 26, 2018
Location: Matawhero (New Zealand)
Address: 74 Macdonald Road, 4071
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Sawdust
Industry: Forestry (Manufacturing)
Equipment: Dryer
Company: Juken New Zealand
Previous Incidents: None Reported
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Juken New Zealand has been involved with the country’s forestry and wood-processing industries since 1990. Juken manufactures wood products from Radiata Pine for local and export markets. The company has over 900 employees and dedicated timber mills.
Description of Sawdust Fire:
On January 27, 2018, the Gisborne Herald reported a fire at a timber mill in Matawhero, New Zealand. A senior firefighter stated that it was started by embers igniting sawdust in a drying unit.
Two crews from Fire and Emergency NZ arrived at the mill at 1:30 p.m., but the flames had mostly been extinguished by the inbuilt fire suppression system. Once the fire was completely out, firefighters got inside the dryer to confirm that the situation was safe.
There were no injuries reported and property damage was minimal.
Recent Incidents:
The Juken New Zealand on Macdonald Road was the site of an earlier fire on August 4, 2017. According to the Gisborne Herald, the blaze broke out in a dust extraction system. It was started by a spark from one of the saw machines, and its location was so tricky that firefighters had to take the ducting apart to get at the source of the fire. There were no injuries reported and damage to the plant was minimal.
Sources:
Gisborne Herald
Gisborne Herald
