Saturday, January 28, 2012

What Caused the Burns Lake Sawmill Explosion?

ForesterBlog.com

I was on the road last weekend when I heard about the explosion at the Burns Lake sawmill that killed two people and injured 19 more.  It was surprising because you don't often hear about explosions at sawmills, and most mills have good safety practices that try to minimize the number of accidents.

The destruction of this mill will also have a big effect on the employment situation in the area.  Small towns with lumber mills are usually heavily reliant on the jobs the mills provide.  I've heard that the rebuilding of the mill isn't certain due to the reduced timber supply in the area from mountain pine beetle attack.  Even if they do decide to rebuild, it would take about a year and a half to construct.  In the meantime, workers dependent on this mill have to switch employers or possibly leave town to find work, which is hard on family life.  The question of rebuilding the mill will have to involve the owners, government and employees working together to create a viable operation.

There is still speculation on what caused the explostion, but the most popular theory seems to be a build up of sawdust in the air that was somehow ignited.  The wood that was being processed by the mill was dry, dead pine, and many people have commented on how high the dust levels were in weeks leading up to the accident.  It was actually pointed out as a safety hazard for inhalation.  If a build up of sawdust was the cause, similar mills should take note and ensure dust particles don't reach such dangerous levels.

For recent information on the Burns Lake sawmill accident, visit:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/destroyed-burns-lake-sawmill-warned-of-unsafe-levels-of-sawdust-in-december/article2314866/

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