Elkem reports fire at Norwegian silicon materials plant

Oslo - A fire broke out at Elkem’s silicon-based materials plant in Salten, Norway on 10 Dec but is now under control, the company has reported.

The incident at the site in Straumen, northern Norway, occured in a building housing some "highly flammable" raw materials, according to Elkem.

Four people were transported to the local health services with non-critial injuries following the fire, the company also stated.

“We have halted all production and are doing our utmost to assist the emergency services,” said Ove Sordahl, plant manager for Elkem Salten.

The Salten plant is claimed to be “one of the world’s largest and most modern silicon plants” exporting silicon and fumed silica products worldwide.

The plant has 200 employees and has a capacity to produce 128 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of materials, including 80ktpa of 'silicons'.

“We are still at an early stage and it is too soon to be precise on any long-term impacts on production or physical assets,” Sordahl said.

Elkem, he added, will provide updates once it has more information on the “totality of the situation.”