Pellet fire at Pacific BioEnergy ‘mitigated’. Cause still a mystery

The fire at Pacific BioEnergy’s British Columbia plant has been brought under-control according to local media, citing representatives from the company.

On 24 August could be seen billowing from the top of one of Pacific Bioenergy’s pellet silos. Fire crews were quickly called to the facility, to determine the cause of the smoke and mitigate any danger.

The silos store the wood pellets produced at the bioenergy plant.

According to the Prince George Citizen, Pacific BioEnergy spent a week dealing with the smouldering wood pellets, slowly removing the product while injecting inert gas into the empty space to prevent a flare up. Then, on the morning of 31 August, the plant was flooded with water to fully extinguish the burning pellets.

Pacific BioEnergy now reports that the fire has been mitigated, according to CKPG News, without further risks of complications.

Exactly why the fire started remains a mystery, with an investigation now underway to determine the cause.