Date: December 30, 2020
Location: Lloydminster, Saskatchewan
Address: Wilton No. 472, S0M 1R0
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Ethanol Production
Equipment: Grain Dryer
Company: Husky Lloydminster Ethanol Plant
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to its website, Husky Energy is an oil and natural gas producer headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. It has operations in Western and Atlantic Canada, the United States and the Asia Pacific region. It was acquired by Cenovus in January 2021.
The ethanol plant in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan produces 130 million litres of ethanol per year. The plant feedstock is non-food feed-grade wheat purchased from local growers.
Incident Description:
On December 31, 2020, the CBC reported an explosion and fire at an ethanol production plant in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan.
Residents were startled by a loud boom and an impact that rattled windows and shook people’s apartments, homes and trailers. Many people reported a foul smell in the air afterward.
A company spokesperson reported that a fire had occurred in a dryer at the plant at around 10:30 p.m. and that there were no injuries, although two people who were on site at the time were taken to hospital as a precaution. They added that the fire was extinguished in less than one minute by the plant suppression.
The ethanol plant was shut down as the company undertook a thorough investigation of the incident.
Sources:
CBC
MyLloydMinsterNow
