Prince George – All 50 employees on-shift during an explosion and fire at Lakeland Mills in the CNR Industrial site in Prince George on Monday evening have now been located.

The blast sent more than 20 workers to hospital, where UHNBC declared a Code Orange to mobilize resources to deal with the disaster.  Northern Health’s Director of Communications is currently in a briefing on the conditions of those involved.

Meantime, Prince George Fire Rescuee Chief John Lane says it will be about 24 hours before the still-burning sawmill has been brought under control.  At that time, Lanes says, "We are hoping to begin to try and determine what the cause of the blaze was."

The fire chief says the emergency call came into the fire hall at 9:38pm Monday night, sending the fire crews scrambling to the scene.  Residents living in the Bowl area of the city report hearing and, in some cases, feeling the explosion that rocked the mill.  Firefighters were able to rescue several people from the fire.

In one case, several people sitting in the lunch room at the mill escaped serious injury when the explosion tore the walls and floor apart around them.

A total of 150 people work at the mill. On shift Monday night were 25 workers in the planner mill and a further 25 in the sawmill where the explosion took place.

Two people died earlier this year in a fire and explosion at the Babine Forest Products Burns Lake mill.

That fire also took place in the sawmill section of the mill, were 25 workers also were on shift at the time of the blaze and explosion. WorkSafe BC has not yet reported on what they believe caused that blaze.