Firefighters spent more than 12 hours battling a blaze at the Elite Forest Products mill in Malakwa on Thursday.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 big,香蕉视频直播� said an exhausted Sean Coubrough, Columbia Shuswap Regional District fire services co-ordinator, attempting to estimate the size of the structure fire at the mill he and Malakwa, Swansea Point and Sicamous fire crews spent the day getting under control. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 bigger than I香蕉视频直播檓 used to estimating香蕉视频直播� I香蕉视频直播檇 say it looks like two football fields in length and maybe one of them burned.香蕉视频直播�

Coubrough said firefighters were paged around 5:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 9, and Malakwa firefighters were first on scene at the mill, located off Lybarger Road.

香蕉视频直播淲hen we arrived on scene香蕉视频直播� we had quite a large building partially involved, with flames showing and smoke showing香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Coubrough. 香蕉视频直播淚t was venting through the roof with heavy black, thick smoke.香蕉视频直播�

Coubrough said it was quickly learned the mill wasn香蕉视频直播檛 operational, and there was no else onsite, leaving firefighters to focus their effort on a defensive attack of the exterior.

香蕉视频直播淲e were not going inside the building 香蕉视频直播� by the time we had arrived, the structure was compromised to a degree that it was not safe for us to put crews inside香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Coubrough. 香蕉视频直播淲e called it, 香蕉视频直播榟it it hard from the yard香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈ウ Preventing the spread was our number one priority.香蕉视频直播�

Coubrough said there were some issues with access, as the roads into the mill hadn香蕉视频直播檛 been plowed and were tricky to navigate. Also, a fire control system onsite was not operational, meaning water had to be hauled to the scene.

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The attack continued throughout the day. At about 4:30 p.m., Coubrough said the fire was under control and crews were in the mop-up stage.

香蕉视频直播淭he fact it香蕉视频直播檚 structurally compromised, we won香蕉视频直播檛 be putting crews in to do a proper structural overhaul, we have to do it from the outside,香蕉视频直播� said Coubrough. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 going to leave a few hotspots, but nothing to worry about at this point in time. The manager of the mill will be put on a fire watch, that means we香蕉视频直播檙e asking him once every hour to take a look around and if he does notice it start spreading, he can give 911 call and get us back out here.香蕉视频直播�

Despite the size and intensity of the blaze, Coubrough said firefighters were still able to save half the structure and some heavy equipment within.

香蕉视频直播淎bout half of the building we were able to save, which, considering the extent of the fire when our crews arrived on scene is no small feat,香蕉视频直播� said Coubrough, adding the site香蕉视频直播檚 manager, Ray Hansen, seemed pleased, having expected a complete loss.

A smaller structure at the Elite Forest Products mill caught fire in 2015.