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FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - Four workers were injured Thursday in a fire at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s Horizon oilsands plant in northern Alberta.
The fire broke out in an upgrader at around 3:30 p.m. and was contained to the coker area.
"Four injuries were reported and the employees have been assessed by medical staff," the company said in a news release.
"Three have been transported to hospital in Fort McMurray, including one being treated for second and third-degree burns. Another person suffered first-degree burns and a third person has a neck injury.
"All are in stable condition. A fourth person was treated at site and will be released."
Jeff Winsor, chief operating officer of the Fort McKay First Nation, said although there had been some concern from worried residents earlier in the day about an evacuation, none was necessary.
"It's our understanding that the fire is pretty well under control, or getting there," he said.
"There was an explosion and a cloud evident there for some time after it, but that cloud has since dissipated and moved on."
The CNRL (TSX:CNQ) site is about 10 to 15 kilometres south of the community of Fort MacKay, where the First Nation is based.
Investigators from the Energy Resources Conservation Board and the Environment Department were headed to the site. However, the company said monitoring stations were showing that air quality in the region was classified as good.
Briar Crutchfield, a spokeswoman with Alberta Occupational Health and Safety, said the department will also investigate once the fire is out.
"Because it is under evacuation right now, they won't be able to get on site until it is safe to do so," she said.
An upgrader is the part of the oilsands plant that converts the thick, tarry bitumen into crude oil.
Canadian Natural Resources says it is one of the largest independent crude oil and natural gas producers in the world and the largest heavy oil producer in Canada.
The corporation says its Horizon facility produces about 90,000 barrels of synthetic crude oil per day.
Oil production at the facility was suspended and it is not yet known when production will resume.
"Canadian Natural's first priority is the well being of our personnel and to safely control the situation," said the company
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - Four workers were injured Thursday in a fire at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s Horizon oilsands plant in northern Alberta.
The fire broke out in an upgrader at around 3:30 p.m. and was contained to the coker area.
"Four injuries were reported and the employees have been assessed by medical staff," the company said in a news release.
"Three have been transported to hospital in Fort McMurray, including one being treated for second and third-degree burns. Another person suffered first-degree burns and a third person has a neck injury.
"All are in stable condition. A fourth person was treated at site and will be released."
Jeff Winsor, chief operating officer of the Fort McKay First Nation, said although there had been some concern from worried residents earlier in the day about an evacuation, none was necessary.
"It's our understanding that the fire is pretty well under control, or getting there," he said.
"There was an explosion and a cloud evident there for some time after it, but that cloud has since dissipated and moved on."
The CNRL (TSX:CNQ) site is about 10 to 15 kilometres south of the community of Fort MacKay, where the First Nation is based.
Investigators from the Energy Resources Conservation Board and the Environment Department were headed to the site. However, the company said monitoring stations were showing that air quality in the region was classified as good.
Briar Crutchfield, a spokeswoman with Alberta Occupational Health and Safety, said the department will also investigate once the fire is out.
"Because it is under evacuation right now, they won't be able to get on site until it is safe to do so," she said.
An upgrader is the part of the oilsands plant that converts the thick, tarry bitumen into crude oil.
Canadian Natural Resources says it is one of the largest independent crude oil and natural gas producers in the world and the largest heavy oil producer in Canada.
The corporation says its Horizon facility produces about 90,000 barrels of synthetic crude oil per day.
Oil production at the facility was suspended and it is not yet known when production will resume.
"Canadian Natural's first priority is the well being of our personnel and to safely control the situation," said the company
