Fire at Halifax Grain Elevator contained after 3-alarm response

The cause of a fire at the Halifax Grain Elevator in the city’s south end on Monday night is under investigation.

At its peak, the incident required a three-alarm response from Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency, which deployed about 20 firefighting and support vehicles and pieces of equipment.

Fire crews responded at around 7:15 p.m. to a report of visible flames at the facility.

According to Halifax Regional Municipality, the fire was contained to the south conveyor system’s dust handling equipment and hopper infrastructure.

The municipality called it a “complex incident” because of the nature of the grain elevator and challenges associated with fighting fires at significant heights. As well, there was a vessel docked alongside the facility.

On its Facebook page, Halifax Fire said the fire was located 135 feet above the ground, “presenting significant access and tactical considerations.” Fire crews used drones to assist with the operation.

“Through coordinated efforts between HRFE crews and facility representatives, the fire was prevented from spreading to surrounding structures,” the municipality said in a Tuesday release.

The fire was declared under control at around 10:30 p.m.