Firefighters hope to save 3rd building in Shercom Industries blaze

Saskatoon fire crews are changing up their strategy to contain a stubborn fire at Shercom Industries that broke out Monday night and continues to smolder.

Seventy-five firefighters from Saskatoon, Warman and Martensville departments have rotated through the scene, just off Highway 11, since 7 p.m.

The fire ripped through two of three buildings at the tire recycling plant, which houses several thousand tons of shredded rubber and drums of polyurethane.

“Crews are working to hold the fire from further extension and are trying to save the third building which houses the main office of the business,” assistant chief Dave Bykowy said during an update from the scene.

Bykowy said the materials make the fire “extremely hard to extinguish.”

So far, fighting the fire with water hasn’t been effective.

Tuesday afternoon, crews will deploy foam streams into the second building to knock the fire out and protect the office building.

“If the fire darkens down, a track hoe will be used to gain better access to the existing fire. This will provide firefighters access to the floor allowing them to focus their firefighting efforts on hot spots,” Bykowy said.

The Ministry of the Environment is on scene along with Envirotec providing air quality monitoring.