THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay firefighters and four pumper trucks responded Wednesday morning to what a spokesperson called a "stubborn" fire that heavily damaged a large piece of equipment in the Resolute sawmill wood yard.
No one was injured.
The blaze broke out in a Cat M325 vehicle which is used for lifting and moving logs at the mill on Darrel Avenue.
Firefighters arrived shortly after 8 a.m. to find the fire already well underway, with mill workers trying to keep it from spreading to logs stockpiled nearby.
Crews using self-contained breathing apparatus were unable to save the vehicle as the flames were fed by a large quantity of on-board diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid.
However, they were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjacent log pile.
Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Platoon Chief John Kaplanis credited mill staff for their efforts to use the sawmill's fire hose to protect the wood supply prior to the fire department's arrival.
It's believed that a mechanical issue caused the fire.
Mill employees remained on the scene to remove debris and oversee the mitigation of contamination.
NOTE: This story has been updated to clarify that no one was injured in the incident
