Williams Lake mill fire prompts union to seek help from BC government
KAMLOOPS — The United Steelworkers, the union representing around 170 employees at Tolko Industries Lakeview mill in Williams Lake, will be seeking help from the provincial government following last week’s mill fire.
The fire started late last week and proved stubborn over the weekend as flare-ups continued into early Monday morning. Given the location of the fire, between the ceiling and the roof, Tolko said it was difficult to get at from the outside and unsafe to fight from the inside.
Yesterday, structural engineers were on site determining the integrity of the building. Since then, the planer has resumed operations with three shifts though the sawmill isn’t operating yet.
Paul French, Local 1-2017 first vice-president with the United Steelworkers, says while the company is running a heavy crew on the planer and keeping “most of the guys working and on the payroll for the time being,” he notes he’s not sure what will happen next and worries the fire will affect a large number of workers in the long run.