PRINCE GEORGE, BC – Detection of high methane gas led to the shutdown last week of the Lakeland Mills sawmill, scene of the April 24 explosion and fire that killed two workers and injured two dozen more.
Planer operations had recently commenced at the mill to process wood inventories. Twenty-eight workers were brought back for what was expected to be a six-week assignment.
The company issued a brief statement saying, “Lakeland Mills has temporarily closed its planer mill and shut down its district energy system as a precautionary measure. The action was taken as a result of monitoring that found unusually high levels of methane gas at the Lakeland Mills site.”
WorkSafeBC issued a directive order to all sawmill employers on April 26, 2012. Among other mandates, the directive ordered saw mill operations to clean up wood dust. As a follow up, WorkSafeBC inspectors have visited more than 150 sawmill locations to ensure they are in compliance.
Rich Christianson is Associate Publisher and Editor at Large of Woodworking Network. During his 25+ years covering the wood products industry, Rich has toured hundreds of manufacturing plants throughout North America, Europe and Asia. His reporting has covered everything from the state of the industry and impact of wood imports to technology and environmental issues. In his current capacity he is responsible for editing the daily Woodworking Network Update newsletter and coordinating events including the annual Cabinets & Closets Conference & Expo and Canada’s biennial Woodworking Machinery & Supply Expo.
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