Spate of fires at Domtar were similar but not connected

KAMLOOPS – With three fires in as many weeks, investigators are still trying to determine whether the pattern of blazes at the Domtar pulp mill in Kamloops is coincidence.

Kamloops Fire Rescue Platoon Capt. Jeff Bell says crews responded to a small blaze at the pulp mill shortly before 2:30 a.m. yesterday, Jan. 19.

Bell says workers were "grinding" in the area where the flames broke out.

It was quickly extinguished, much like the blaze crews responded to on Jan. 17. Oil sprayed onto a hot pipe was determined to be the cause of that fire.

The third one, earlier this month, was a small dust fire, according to Kamloops Fire Rescue.

"It could be just coincidence, we haven’t been there in months," Bell says. "There’s been nothing for so long and then three fires."

Domtar has yet to respond to a request for comment.

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