Schnitzer Steel Canada barge catches fire

A fire broke out on a Schnitzer Steel barge in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, according to a news release from Globalnews.ca. The fire began at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9.

According to Globalnews.ca, smoke and flames could be seen throughout Metro Vancouver. 

Schnitzer Steel Canada says the barge load was comprised of crushed auto bodies that had been drained of fluids and properly processed for end of life and assorted light iron such as washers and dryers. The company says the cause of the fire is unknown at this time. 

 “We are cooperating and working with all applicable agencies, including the environmental agencies,” Schnitzer Steel comments. “In addition, Schnitzer is reviewing the events in an effort to determine the cause of the fire and will make any necessary adjustments to policies or procedures to reduce risk in the future as needed. Safety of our operations at Surrey, including fire prevention and emergency response, are a top priority. There were no injuries as a result of this incident, and we are thankful for the prompt and effective action by all first responders.”

This marks the site’s second fire this year—the Globalnews.ca reports that a Schnitzer Steel barge also caught fire in August 2018 that had prompted Metro Vancouver to issue an air quality advisory.