Conveyor System Fire Breaks Out at Wood Pellet Plant

A fire ignited in an exterior conveying system at the Pacific BioEnergy wood pellet production plant in Prince George, BC on Monday evening, the company confirmed in a press release this week.

The Prince George Fire Department (PGFD) were dispatched to the facility at 5 pm. Fire crews stayed at the scene for several hours to douse smoldering flames. Pacific BioEnergy received approval to resume deliveries of fiber at the site at 8 p.m.

“We are very thankful that none of our employees or members of the PGFD were injured during or while responding to the incident,” the chief executive officer of Pacific BioEnergy, John Stirling, said in the statement. “Our emergency response training paid off as our employees contacted PGFD immediately following the incident.”

While no injuries were logged, local news reports said the blaze caused an estimated CAD$50,000 (about $37,000) in damage.

WorkSafeBC and Pacific BioEnergy are investigating the incident.

Established in British Columbia in 1994, Pacific BioEnergy processes sawmill waste into renewable fuel pellets. Japanese trading firm Sumitomo Corporation acquired a 48% interest stake in the company in 2017,