A fire at the Lavington pellet plant filled the valley with smoke Tuesday, Sept. 29. (Anna Clarke photo)

A fire at the Lavington pellet plant filled the valley with smoke Tuesday, Sept. 29. (Anna Clarke photo)

Fire at Lavington pellet plant

Smoke fills valley as crews respond

Fire crews responded to a structure fire at a Lavington mill Tuesday, Sept. 29.

A burner at the Pinnacle Pellet Plant on School Road was reportedly on fire, and smoke was filling the valley.

The blaze, which broke out around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, saw both Lavington and Coldstream fire departments attend.

This is the second fire at the plant this year, following a blaze in May.

READ MORE: Lavington pellet plant fire under investigation

Such incidents have been a concern for Coldstream Coun. Stephanie Hoffman, who lives in Lavington near the plant, since before the plant was built in 2015.

“It just goes to show that no matter what kind of promises of safety measures and ‘state of the art’ technology Pinnacle assured council and our community with, the industry of making wood pellets is a continuous risk of fire and explosion,” Hoffman said. “This not only endangers the employees that work there but also the surrounding community, school, and especially the first responders who attend these incidents.”

READ MORE: Wood waste funds keep jobs running at Lavington plant


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Vernon Morning Star