A chemical fire swept through three storage tanks at a Canadian potash mine Saturday night. - Photo Courtesy of Saskatoon Fire Department

A chemical fire swept through three storage tanks at a Canadian potash mine Saturday night.

Photo Courtesy of Saskatoon Fire Department

A stubborn blaze that lasted more than 16 hours spread through three storage tanks at a potash mining operation in south central Saskatchewan beginning Saturday night.

At about 8:30 p.m., firefighters from nearby Montrose and Delisle responded to the Nutrien Potash Operation in Vanscoy, about 35 kilometers southwest of Saskatoon. Delisle Fire Chief Mike Given told Global News that the intensity of the fire kept responders at a distance until well after dawn Sunday morning.

He described the damage to the facility as “extensive.”

The Saskatoon Fire Department responded to a mutual aid request bringing hazmat specialists and two engines equipped with master stream nozzles. The engines remained until fire operations began scaling back at about 5 a.m. Sunday, the department’s website reports.

No damage estimate has been issued, the website states. No injuries were reported.

“Complete product descriptions and amounts are not available at the time of this release,” the website reports.

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