No one was injured in a fire at Kalesnikoff Lumber this afternoon, but damage is described as “significant.”
Tarrys Fire Chief Greg Patterson said five fire departments responded to the call at about 1 p.m. and spent three hours on the scene. The sawmill’s own fire brigade did their own initial attack, which was “a great benefit.”
The cause was fan bearing that overheated in a mechanical room at the southeast corner of the mill, Patterson said. Radiant heat spread the fire into walls.
“It was a little bit of a challenge to get everything out,” he said. “There’s definitely some significant damage to the mill, but things that can be repaired and replaced, and the structure itself is still sound.”
About 50 firefighters responded from the Tarrys, Beasley, Crescent Valley, Ootischenia, and Castlegar departments. Castlegar provided aerial apparatus to give firefighters the height they needed to attack the fire.
Patterson said Kalesnikoff is assessing the damage, but he didn’t think that it would prevent the mill from continuing to operate.
He added that they typically get one to two calls from the mill each year, but this fire was larger than most. The Tarrys fire hall is directly across the highway from the mill.
In a statement on their Facebook page, Kalesnikoff Lumber said that upon discovering the fire, they immediately activated their safety policies and procedures, including calling 911, evacuating the building and shutting off the power.
“Thank you to our team for your quick action, and to local fire departments for your immediate and thorough response,” they wrote. “Most importantly, we’re grateful everyone is safe; that the building and equipment were not seriously damaged, and that the overall response was quick and effective.”
Mainly because of the power outage, the mill closed Wednesday afternoon, but was to reopen Thursday.
