A fire broke out in the wood chip storage of the Vaasa Power Plant in Finland during the early hours of Wednesday, prompting an urgent response from emergency services. Fire Chief Ville Isomöttönen from the Ostrobothnia Rescue Service reported that the fire was initially put out, but the situation escalated again on Wednesday afternoon when workers noticed smoke re-emerging from the storage facility. Six fire units were dispatched to the scene due to the persistent nature of the fire.

The incident involved a storage tank located 20 meters high, containing 260 cubic meters of wood chips, which presents challenges for firefighting operations. Despite the initial extinguishment, the conditions inside the tank made it difficult to ensure that the fire did not reignite. As the power plant primarily uses coal and domestic biofuels for its operations, the rekindling of the fire raises concerns about the safety protocols in place for hazardous materials.

The local authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as they work to fully extinguish the fire and prevent further incidents. The ability of the Vaasa Power Plant to manage this fire effectively will highlight the importance of stringent safety measures in industrial settings, especially those handling combustible materials like wood chips.