Mechanical failure might have started Green Mtn Rd fire

The cause of the fire at the Greenwood Forest Products mill on Green Mountain Road might have come from mechanical failure.

The mill is on Penticton Indian Band land but the band has an emergency-response agreement with the Penticton fire department. Any investigation into the fire, however, will be conducted by another entity.

Deputy fire chief Dave Spalding said the fire might have been caused by any number of mechanical failures.

Fire dispatch received the call at 1:52 p.m. on Friday. Two fire trucks responded and the burning sawdust inside a large hopper was pulled out and doused. Spalding said no one was hurt.

Just outside of the mill's fence were several mill employees watching the firefighting.

Spalding said there was a risk of an explosion but none occurred. The scene was considered under control by 6 p.m.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065.