A fire broke out at West Fraser Cochrane on Wednesday evening, prompting a swift response from Cochrane Fire Services. According to Fire Chief Shawn Polley, several 911 calls came in just after 5:00 p.m. reporting a vehicle fire in the company's mulch lot.
“When the crew arrived, they found a front-end loader fully engulfed in flames," Polley explained. "The staff at West Fraser did a great job moving the vehicle to an open area, giving fire crews good access and preventing the fire from spreading to nearby mulch or a log deck."
The on-duty crew quickly contained the blaze using a single hose line, and a water tender was brought in to ensure an adequate water supply, as hydrants in the area are sparse.
Thanks to the rapid response, the fire was fully suppressed within an hour. The fire crew was back in service by 6:30 p.m.
While the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, Polley noted that equipment failure may have been a factor. He also mentioned that, although West Fraser occasionally sees false alarms due to the visible steam from their kiln, the company maintains a strong safety record.
"We’ve got a great working relationship with West Fraser, and their first response team is always quick to inform us of the situation when we arrive,” Polley said.