Miramichi Lumber Mill Destroyed by Devastating Fire

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A massive fire has destroyed the building of New Brunswick-based Miramichi Lumber Products. The future of the mill looks uncertain, said Maritime Lumber, which owns the shuttered lumber mill.

According to reports, two fire incidents were reported at the lumber mill site on October 7, 2019. The first fire broke out behind the mill in the evening around 6.30 PM. The firefighters were able to put out the fire quickly. However, a second fire broke out almost three hours later, destroying the building. It took almost four hours for firefighters to contain the fire, company officials said. Firefighters from Miramichi Fire Department as well as Sunny Corner Fire Department took part in the operations.

ALSO READ: Closure of County Lumber Mill Puts 70 Jobs at Risk

Hal Raper, chief financial officer, Martime Lumber stated that nearly $15 million would be required to replace the building and its equipment. The entire building and the equipment has been damaged to the extent that equipment does not seem to have any salvage value at all. Also, the mill is not being insured, he added. Raper cited arson as the cause of the fire. Meantime, the Fire Marshall’s Office is still investigating the cause of the fire, media reports say.

This is not the first fire incident at the mill. Earlier in 2015, the mill had reported fire at an electrical room and small office. This had led to the closure of the mill.