Martek Hit By Fire

A large fire destroyed a facility owned by Martek Inc., Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Among the many products carried by Martek are erosion control blankets and geotextiles. Fire officials noted that the size and intensity of the fire was in part fed by the straw and coconut fibers in the ECBs. The polypropylene fibers in some geotextile products also proved to burn quickly. Investigators are still determining what started the blaze. The type of materials stored, however, may indicate that spontaneous combustion played a role. The natural materials present in the construction products mirror those found in barns that experience the same type of sudden fires.