A major fire broke out at the Elkem silicon plant in Grundartangi last night. Although no injuries were reported, the accident was serious enough to call the entire fire brigades of both Akranes and Hvalfjörður, reports RÚV.
One of Elkem’s three furnaces was affected, but more serious damage was prevented by the staff.
Álfheiður Ágústsdóttir, CEO of Elkem, stated that as of now, the exact cause of the fire is unclear, but that an investigation is under way. Admitting that the incident represents a setback, Álfheiður hopes that production will be halted for no more than a week for repairs. And of course, she notes, the most important thing is that no one was injured.
The fire began around 2:00 AM last night, but the fire was largely contained by the staff before the arrival of the fire brigade.
Initial reports indicate that the fire broke out in the so-called tapping platform. Any criminal activity has been ruled out.
