SASKATOON – A day after a massive blaze broke out at a tire recycling facility north of Saskatoon, black smoke continued to billow out of the North Corman Industrial Park. The Shercom Industries fire started up Monday around 7 p.m. CT .
The president of the family-owned business, Shane Olson, learned of the blaze while boarding a flight in Vancouver.
“It was the second phone call I got from our director of operations. I thought, ‘I better answer this,’” Olson said.
“A simple message: the plant is on fire.”
It took five hours for members of the Saskatoon Fire Department and detachments from the surrounding area to control the flames.
About 20,000 pounds of shredded rubber fuelled the flames, but no full tires were involved in the blaze.
Two buildings were devoured in the fire. Crews used a track-hoe and foam to protect the third building on the Shercom property Tuesday.
“It’s so difficult to extinguish. Rubber burns extremely hot,” said Dave Bykowy, assistant chief of the Saskatoon Fire Department.
“With this type of a configuration where it’s shredded, you’ve got a huge surface area on the fuel.”
Wind shifted throughout Tuesday afternoon, sending plumes towards Saskatoon. However, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment confirmed the smoke doesn’t pose a risk to people living in Saskatoon and the surrounding communities.
None of Shercom’s nearly 70 employees were injured in the fire. Once it’s extinguished, Shercom will conduct an independent investigation.
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