June 24, 2008
Poor maintenance 'caused mill explosion'
Source: The Age
Poor maintenance by owners CSR led to a vat explosion that has caused the indefinite closure of a north Queensland sugar mill, the canegrowers peak body says.
Canegrowers Burdekin Limited district manager Jim Collins also warned Monday that the closure of the Pioneer Sugar Mill, south of Townsville, would have a “horror” effect on the local community.
CSR shut down the Burdekin mill after a 1,000 litre sugar vat ruptured and knocked over another last Friday.
Boiling sugar and mud spewed into an adjoining laboratory containing nine staff.
Three workers were treated for minor injuries and shock, and all 80 staff at the mill were evacuated.
CSR, the owner of four mills in the Burdekin region, including Pioneer, is hoping to re-open the mill before the end of the crushing season in November.
Mr Collins said equipment failures occurred “every day” on at least one of CSR’s four mills in the region.
