Source: Enbridge
Enbridge drill rig destroyed in another fire at Line 5 relocation site
The incident follows two other fires involving Enbridge property in northern Wisconsin over the past month.
An Enbridge drill rig and support equipment were destroyed in a fire early Monday morning at a construction site along the company's Line 5 relocation project in Ashland County.
The Ashland County Sheriff's Office says the fire was reported around 5:20 a.m. Monday near Wilson Road in the Town of White River. Deputies responding to the scene found two boring machines that had been involved in the fire.
No injuries were reported.
The Sheriff's Office says the fire is being investigated with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation and the State Fire Marshal's Office. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Enbridge described the fire as vandalism in a statement Monday and said graffiti was also discovered at the site.
The incident follows two other fires involving Enbridge property in northern Wisconsin over the past month.
On September 14, a fire broke out at an Enbridge office building in Superior, where graffiti was also discovered. Three days later, on September 17, a fire damaged drilling equipment at a Line 5 construction site in the Town of Gingles in Ashland County.
"These incidents put the local community, landowners, first responders and our workers at risk and result in environmental impacts," the company said in its statement.
"Enbridge supports everyone's right to express their views about the energy we all use legally and peacefully. Acts that damage property and put people or the environment at risk are neither legal nor peaceful. We take these incidents very seriously and will cooperate fully with authorities as they investigate and seek to hold those responsible accountable."
Line 5 remains in operation. The Ashland County Sheriff's Office is asking members of the public to report any suspicious activity or behavior they may have observed in the area around the time of the fire.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include information from the Ashland County Sheriff's Office regarding the location of the fire and the ongoing investigation.
Maddie Schaffer is a reporter at WBZH and WHSM, covering the Hayward area and surrounding areas in the Northwoods. Email her at maddie.schaffer@civicmedia.us.
