No One Injured In Plum Creek MDF Plant Explosion

The Plum Creek medium density fiberboard (MDF) plant in Columbia Falls experienced an explosion and fire, but no one was injured in the blaze.

The fire appeared to have been contained to one line of the plant, said Columbia Falls firefighter Karl Weeks. The call for the fire came out at 6:09 a.m. and firefighters were off the scene at 11:15 a.m. Weeks said there were multiple spot fires as a result of the explosion inside the massive plant. The facility underwent a multi-million dollar renovation after a fire and explosion damaged the building in June of last year.

The cause of this fire remains under investigation. Whitefish responded with mutual aid and about 15 firefighters total fought the blaze, Weeks said.

Plum Creek spokeswoman Kathy Budinick said the fire apparently originated in an area of line one that holds the fiber before it enters the line. “The fire suppression system worked as intended,” she said.

The plant has two lines and line two is up and running, Budinick said. Line one will remain down until repairs can be made, but Budinick said there was minimal damage to the plant itself. She said the fire suppression system also needs to be recharged.

From Hungry Horse News (2015)