FORT FRANCES, Ont -- The Mayor of Fort Frances is expressing optimism toward Resolute Forest Products’ plans to heat parts of the idled mill in that town.
But it's not enough just yet for the town's fire chief to drop orders on the company.
On Saturday, Resolute agreed to keep the heat on in parts of the mill, in addition to the $17.5-million it says it has spent to protect the mill's assets. Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis released a statement Wednesday calling it an "important step" to secure a new buyer for the mill.
But the company has yet to convince the community’s Fire Chief Frank Sheppard.
On Nov. 21 the Fire Department ordered the mill manager and a Resolute engineer to submit a fire suppression plan that will ensure public safety.
Sheppard remains concerned some of the mill's sprinkler systems will not operate 100 per cent as designed.
Sheppard says the company has told him it's interested in co-operating, but he hasn't seen the plan yet.
Resolute has until Friday if it intends to appeal the order to the province. There is no meeting scheduled between Sheppard and Resolute's engineer.
(TBT News)
