BURNS LAKE (NEWS1130) – The town of Burns Lake is celebrating the decision today to rebuild the sawmill destroyed by a fire that killed two in January.
Oregon-based Hampton Affiliates confirmed plans it will rebuild Babine Forest Products. But Company CEO Steve Zika made no mention of the probe in a release other than to say it is “actively participating” with WorkSafeBC and an industry task force on combustion risks.
Zika says the findings will be incorporated into the new sawmill, which will be two-thirds the size of the old mill due to log availability and is expected to start up in early 2014.
Burns Lake Mayor Luke Strimbold is ecstatic.
He says it means a little more economic certainty for the people who live there. “Folks will be optimistic now, and looking at it will be a new mill and maybe what skills do i need to brush up on or learn so that I am a qualified applicant at the mill.”
He says it also means people that considered leaving town will stick around. But the new mill will be just two-thirds the size of the old one.
“There will be less workers in the mill, but there will still be a large amount of workers in the bush delivering saw log to the mill.”
The rebuild was threatened after a recent WorkSafeBC report recommending charges in the explosion.
Smoke rises from the Babine Forest Products mill in Burns Lake, B.C. Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. A fireball levelled the mill, which produces products like framing lumber, just after shift-change Friday evening. Two workers are still missing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Sawmill in Burns Lake to be rebuilt
Oregon-based Hampton Affiliates will to the work on the Babine Forest Products mill
Andrea Macpherson
Home Improvement Profiles
News1130 Apps
Tell us what you think!
News1130 Business Profile
Comments