Rockwool Sign Installation, Grand Forks, Dec. 13, 2017. (Kathleen Saylors)

Rockwool Sign Installation, Grand Forks, Dec. 13, 2017. (Kathleen Saylors)

Rockwool fire sends smoke east of Grand Forks

A company official said the smoke was mostly triggered by a safety feature at the plant

  • Oct. 1, 2020 12:00 a.m.

A small fire at the insulation manufacturer RockWool cast a plume of smoke east of Grand Forks Thursday morning, Oct. 1.

The fire was easily contained at the facility off Highway 3, Marketing Vice President Mark Bromiley confirmed in an email Thursday afternoon.

The fire set off the plant’s “safety damper” which blew smoke into the Kettle Valley for around 15 minutes, Bromiley explained.

An easterly breeze brought the haze over Gilpin by 9 a.m.

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Rockwool did not say what caused the fire.

“The incident is under review,” Bromiley said.

Grand Forks fire department was not called to the fire, Deputy Chief Rich Piché confirmed.


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