Over 30 members of the Saskatoon Fire Department will be spending the better part of the day at 56th Street and Cleveland Avenue after a fire broke out at WD Plastics Wednesday morning. 

Deputy Chief of Operations with the SFD Rob Hogan says crews arrived at the building around 5:00 a.m. to find the west side of the building engulfed in flames 10-20 feet high. There were no staff members inside. 

By that time, he says the fire had already spread throughout the building, which was full of resin, ovens, plastic sheets, and pallets. Around 6:00 a.m., a second alarm was triggered, and more crew members rushed to the scene.  

“We have six engines, two ladders here, as well as our exposure reduction trailer, our Battalion Chief and our Command Unit.”

Hogan says crews have run into several obstacles while attempting to contain the fair, one being the 40 kilometre gusts of wind, and the other being how the building was constructed. 

“At some point over the years, a second roof was put on the building. We were able to get the first roof off, but we can’t get the second roof off. We’re kind of stuck there.”

Hogan says the building will be a total write-off, as two of its walls are already beginning to collapse. He expects an excavator will be brought in to demolish it, however the main focus right now is to prevent the flames from jumping to any nearby buildings.  

Photo credit: Troy Larmer

Photo credit: Troy Larmer