Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada, 24 February 2011 -- Production has been idled at the Mackenzie Pulp Corp. kraft mill in Mackenzie, B.C., after a 22 meter high tank in the bleach plant split open, spilling tons of pulp slurry into the building on 16 February. According to media reports, one of the mill's five towers split almost top to bottom.

One week after the incident, general manager Doug Van Buskirk reported that crews are dismantling the damaged tank. An investigation into the cause is ongoing. Van Buskirk says the company will also conduct non-destructive testing on the remaining bleaching towers before restarting the bleach plant.

The tank which split was a carbon steel tank, with mortar and tile lining.

No one was injured in the incident, and the spill was contained in the bleach plant.

The Mackenzie mill resumed operations last August after a two-and-a-half year shutdown.