Cause of Kamloops recycling plant fire may remain mystery

A fire at a Kamloops recycling plant this week is under investigation now that it's been doused.

Kamloops Fire Rescue put out the fire on Tuesday, June 6. A plume of smoke from the blaze at Emterra Environmental in Valleyview was visible throughout the city.

After heavy equipment tossed around burning cardboard and other material, it's not clear whether the cause can be traced, fire investigator Ray Webster said.

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"Normally you can put a fire scene back together and there are different indicators," he said. "In this case, because it started in a pile of cardboard, the entire scene had to be taken apart on loader at the time."

The fire started within the Emterra's yard at around 11:30 a.m.

The fire didn't damage the building and a Kamloops Fire Rescue platoon captain said water and power had been returned to the building by yesterday morning.

While Webster isn't yet sure what might have started the fire, doesn't believe it was suspicious.

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Kamloops has seen multiple arson fires over the past two months, with two men in custody accuses of starting some of them.

Owen Lee Coty, 26, and William Aaron Lamb, 22, are each charged with multiple arsons in separate incidents over the past two months.

Others arson investigations remain unsolved, but none so far have seriously damaged structures.

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