Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency (HRFE) got the call to the fire at 7:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, following a report of visible flames at the facility.
Despite the huge fire Monday night, the rest of the facility is now “operating normally,” said Kim Batherson, a spokesperson for the Halifax Grain Elevator. “We are co-operating fully with Halifax Fire’s investigation and will take the necessary steps to ensure the safe resumption of vessel loading operations.”
Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency posted on its Facebook page at 11:15 p.m. Monday that crews would remain on scene and work carefully to fully extinguish the remaining material.
Operations will be “slow and deliberate as firefighters work safely through this next phase,” the post said. “At its peak, the incident required a three-alarm response. On-site resources have since been reduced as the risk has decreased.”
’Complex Incident’
“This remains a complex incident due to the nature of the industrial infrastructure, the challenges associated with firefighting operations at significant heights and the presence of a vessel alongside the facility,” fire officials said.
In facebook post Monday night, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency said 56 firefighters and 20 apparatuses ended up used to fight the fire.
Fire officials said the blaze remained isolated to the No. 28 loading facility at the dock. Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency said the dock is “geographically separated from surrounding residential areas.”
The fire ended up contained to the south conveyor system’s dust handling equipment and associated hopper infrastructure, fire officials said.
Flames and heavy smoke were visible from the export arm of a grain elevator in Halifax, Canada.
Source: CBC screen capture
Halifax Fire said crews were working to contain the fire and protect a nearby vessel while “navigating challenges presented by the industrial infrastructure and elevated firefighting operations.”
“Tactical operations and firefighter safety remain our top priority,” officials said.
Earlier on Monday night, Halifax Fire said the fire was located more than 40 meters (131 feet) above the ground in the grain elevator’s dust management system, “presenting significant access and tactical considerations.”
The Halifax Port Authority, which owns the property where the grain elevator infrastructure is located and leases the facility to Halifax Grain Elevator Limited, said in a statement Tuesday it will review the incident with the grain elevator operator.
Emergency Protocols Activated
The port authority said it is supporting the investigation into the cause of the fire, and noted that its emergency response protocols were activated.
In 2023, a report prepared for the city said the facility, which has been operating since 1924, carries an inherent risk of dust explosion, given the high quantities of combustible material. The grain elevator handles wood pellets and grain-like wheat.
In 2003, firefighters spent more than seven hours extinguishing flames after an explosion and fire inside the facility.