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Crews continue to fight a fire at Tolko’s Lakeview sawmill

Fire crews have been on the scene since Thursday evening fighting a fire at Tolko’s Lakeview sawmill in Williams Lake.
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Emergency crews, seen here Friday morning, have been on the scene battling a fire at Tolko’s Lakeview sawmill in Williams Lake since Thursday evening. Monica Lamb-Yorski photo

Emergency crews continue to battle a fire at Tolko’s Lakeview sawmill in Williams Lake Friday morning that erupted Thursday evening around 6:30 p.m.

The 150 Mile House Volunteer Fire Department arrived Thursday evening to assist the Williams Lake Fire Department, already on scene.

At around 10:30 p.m. Thursday the company’s communications advisor Janice Lockyer confirmed in a written statement that there was an active fire, but that no one was injured and the safety of the employees was the top priority.

“At this time, the situation remains active and the extent of the damage is unknown,” Lockyer said.

United Steelworkers Union Local 2017 first vice president Paul French said workers at the mill were all sent home at about 8 p.m. Thursday and the power was cut off.

“I don’t want to speculate, but I know the sawmill got scorched pretty good,” French said Friday morning. “I haven’t heard anything from the company yet, but I think they are trying to assess what the heck is going on and how badly the equipment got burnt.”

Logging trucks are going in there Friday morning, and there are people on site, he added.

The fire comes after a summer that saw the company’s operations curtailed for several weeks and timber stands impacted because of the wildfires.

“It’s not good,” French said of the mill fire. “A lot of people’s lives depend on the mill.”

As of Friday morning the Tribune had not received an update from Tolko.

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Fire crews are still on scene at Tolko’s Lakeview sawmill in Williams Lake. Angie Mindus photo


Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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