The Oct. 1 fire at the Speedway International biodiesel plant in St. Boniface [Manitoba, Canada] was a terrible incident that impacted hundreds of our neighbors who were forced to evacuate for safety reasons. In addition, our employees are going through a devastating time with us as we begin the process of rebuilding our family business. We are thankful that no one was hurt and thank everyone for listening to emergency services and staying clear of the area as firefighters fought the blaze. 

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for the days of heroic work put in by the city’s emergency service workers. We will be providing any assistance possible to the investigators who are working to determine the cause of the fire. 

Speedway International would like to clarify misinformation that has been reported to the public. 

Speedway International is committed to providing safe working conditions for our employees, has passed all safety inspection and has been operating in the industrial zone of St. Boniface without incident since 1998. Safety is paramount and we comply with all safety standards and codes. Further, Speedway International is registered and permitted to import and export fuel. We have all required permits and licenses, and meet all codes set by Natural Resources Canada and Environment Canada. 

Speedway International does not store petroleum products in its buildings or storage tanks as has been misreported. Speedway International does store biodiesel, which is produced from canola oil. However, no rail cars containing biodiesel or methanol product were affected by the fire. 

Speedway International will be providing written updates to the media as material information becomes available.