Tolko Company Provides Brief Update on High Prairie, Alberta OSB Fire That Occurred on May 20, 2022

Tolko Company has provided a brief update on the fire at its OSB mill facility in High Prairie, Alberta. The fire was initially reported at approximately 5:00 AM MDT on Friday, May 20, 2022. The mill was evacuated, and local emergency crews were called to aid the facilities fire suppression system. The fire was declared out about 90-minutes later.

It is being reported that one employee suffered minor injuries and was taken to the local hospital for treatment and released.

As part of Tolko’s established procedures, a structural engineer was on site on Saturday and Sunday to assess the site and to determine when it is safe to begin repairs. From an initial investigation, the fire appears to have started when a small pipe carrying thermal oil broke, and the thermal oil ignited. The investigation will continue.

Tolko believes that the fire suppression systems helped to keep the fire contained to the press area, so it did not migrate to other areas of the mill.

Damage assessments and inspections continue, and the company promises further information once it become available.