There are concerns that a fire that engulfed part of a warehouse storing bulk fertilizers and chemicals run by Nutrien Ag Solutions in Kwinana, 38 kilometers south of Perth’s central business district, may stretch supplies to Western Australian farmers ahead of the seeding season.
The fire, which started at 1:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 9, led to the evacuation of 11 people from the site, but no injuries were reported. Some 70 firefighters responded, and authorities issued a hazmat warning that afternoon for people living in more than a dozen residential suburbs around Kwinana Beach.
The company, a unit of Canada’s Nutrien Ltd., said in a media statement on Feb 12 that certain port infrastructure at the Kwinana Bulk Jetty, including the bulk fertilizer site, were impacted by the fire. It added that its bulk fertilizer site was holding granular products only at the time of the fire and its liquid bulk N fertilizer storage and chemical manufacturing (Genfarm) facilities were not impacted by the fire.
According to an ABC News Australia report, citing the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the blaze started on a conveyor belt carrying sulfur from a ship to a storage facility, but the cause of the fire is still under investigation. According to local media reports on Feb. 14, citing the Freemantle Ports Authority, the main damage was to the import system conveyor, associated transfer tower, and a shed used for storing fertilizer.
Fremantle Ports said planning is underway to recommence shipping operations as soon as possible, subject to several assessments and conditions being satisfied.
WAFarmers President John Hassel, as cited by the ABC News report, said Nutrien Ag is one of two major suppliers to Western Australia, and the destruction of the conveyor belt might cause a problem that is “a bit of a worry” for Australian imports.
Andrew Duperouzel, Nutrien Ag Solutions Region Manager, West, said in a Feb. 12 statement that the company was assessing the damage and was working closely with Freemantle Ports to “confirm new access routes, adjusted shipping schedules, and alternate storage solutions to ensure the company minimizes any impact to its supply chain.”
“It’s business as usual for Nutrien’s other storage depots across Western Australia, so we are still receiving and dispatching product from out other locations including Geraldton, Esperance, Albany, and Henderson,” he said.