A fire at a glass factory at Wellington and Charlevoix in Point St. Charles Saturday triggered an evacuation and caused $5 million in damage.
The factory is owned by Ohio-based Owens-Illinois Inc. (O-I), a company that manufactures glass products for food products, cosmetics and beverages and was a major employer for decades in the area when it was known as Dominion Glass.
The plant sits next to a large wooded park and other industrial areas, so no nearby neighbours were endangered by the blaze.
The fire started at 11:30 a.m. and was caused by a faulty heater and natural gas pipe leak.
The flames spread because a large amount of oil is used in the machinery to make the bottles, according to Benoit Brouillard, chief of operations for the Montreal fire department.
About 75 employees were in the building at the time and all were safely evacuated.
Brouillard said some machines that work around the clock had to be halted.
He also said that some employees won’t be immediately returning to work, although he had no further details.
Jean Langlois, also of the Montreal fire department, said Sunday that the fire was not the first at the facility.
The head of the plant refused to comment when approached by CTV Montreal's Maya Johnson Sunday, saying it would issue a news release later in the day.
In 2005, the Quebec government granted O-I a loan of up to $7.5 million as part of plans to upgrade the facility.
The plant was formerly owned by Consumer Glass. Built in 1905, the factory is the oldest glass-making facility in Canada, according to a news release published at the time.
