Explosion at Armstrong plant

Some workers in Armstrong could be off the job for a while after an explosive situation at a wood pellet plant Saturday night.

The incident, which happened around 9:30 pm, occurred at the Pinnacle Pellet plant.

Two employees who were on shift were able to get out safely.

In the wake of the blast, fire quickly spread through the basement of the building to the attic.

The plant turns wood shavings into pellets that are then burned for fuel.

With the building full of combustibles, the Armstrong Fire Department called for extra help from the BX Swan Lake Fire Department and Enderby Fire Department.

Acting Armstrong Fire Chief Gordon Noble says fire crews had to use a considerable amount of water to fight the fire.

Pumps are working to remove the thousands of gallons of water from the building’s basement.

Until that happens, investigators can’t begin looking for the cause of the explosion.

Plant operators will be assessing the damage to determine the extent of repairs that are needed and how that will affect the plant’s 20 employees.