Date: June 23, 2020
Location: Jaffrey, New Hampshire (USA)
Address: 141 Old Sharon Road, 03452
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Wood Dust
Industry: Wood Pellet Production (Wood and Wood Products)
Equipment: Pellet Manufacturing Machine
Company: New England Wood Pellet
Database Incidents: This facility was referenced in dust explosion incidents in May 2019.
Loss: One Person Injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, New England Wood Pellet is a wood pellet production company. It was founded in 1992 in Acton, Massachusetts, moved to New Hampshire in 1995; and built its flagship facility site in Jaffrey in 1999. In 2012, New England Wood Pellet upgraded its in-house quality testing labs for all of its manufacturing facilities.
Incident Description:
On June 23, 2020, the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript reported a dust explosion and fire at a wood pellet plant in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.
First responders arrived at the plant at around 9:30 p.m. They found heavy smoke conditions in the pellet mill manufacturing area and determined that fire was in two areas of the mill. Although the pellet conveyor system had been severely damaged, all employees had been evacuated and accounted for.
After the flames were extinguished, fire crews found several smaller fires in the roof’s steel beams. They had ignited due to an accumulation of wood dust. Firefighters remained on scene for approximately two and a half hours.
The Peterborough Fire Chief said that combustible wood dust had apparently caught fire during the pellet-making process, injuring one employee who had to be treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
The Jaffrey Fire Chief stated that the facility was shut down to carry out cleaning and repairs. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Previous Incidents:
This facility experienced a dust fire on May 12, 2019, covered in Machinery Malfunction Causes Fire at New Hampshire Wood Pellet Plant.
On October 23, 2011, Canadian Biomass Magazine reported a four-alarm fire at the New England Wood Pellet plant in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Over 100 firefighters responded to the incident, which occurred in the wood pellet cooling tower.
On March 13, 2013, Woodworking Network reported that OSHA cited New England Wood Pellet for multiple alleged combustible dust-related citations, four months after the company agreed to pay $100,000 to settle violations stemming from the October 2011 fire.
Sources:
Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
