Fire investigators and staff at AkzoNobel Chemicals are still working to determine what started a fire at the chemical facility in Saskatoon.
Emergency crews and members of the hazardous materials team responded to the blaze at the plant just after 4 a.m. Monday. A plant operator told emergency crews a small fire started in a storage vessel, and a statement from AkzoNobel said on-site security first noticed the flames.
Fire was coming from a vent stack when firefighters arrived, according to Wayne Rodger, assistant fire chief with the Saskatoon Fire Department.
A 2,500-gallon tank containing a combustible liquid was attached to the vent, and the heat from the vent ignited roofing materials.
Rodgers said fire crews, because of the nature of the chemical plant, which makes industrial chemicals, fuels and paints, were familiar with the building.
“They would have pre-planned this building, which means they would have gotten a tour of it, they would have taken notice of any kind of processes or products that may cause them concern in the event of an incident in the future,” Rodgers said. “That was all pre-done on our part, so that there would be no surprises should there be an incident.”
The fire has since been extinguished and damage has been estimated at $20,000.
No one was injured.
Roads in the area were briefly shut down as emergency crews responded.
