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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A fire at Diavik Diamond Mine over the weekend is currently under investigation.

Diavik Diamond Mine's paste backfill plant was the site of a fire over the weekend. Rio Tinto is currently investigating the cause of the blaze. - Photo courtesy of Diavik Diamond Mine

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday a fire was reported by workers on the top floor of the paste backfill plant building, said Tom Hoefer, spokesperson for Diavik. He said the alarm was sounded immediately, the building was evacuated and all persons inside were accounted for.

"By the time three hours had passed it was just dealing with hot spots," explained Hoefer of the time it took to extinguish the fire.

Diavik, owned by mining giant Rio Tinto, called its own emergency response team to the scene and were able to get the situation under control with no injuries reported.

Hoefer said the fire was "relatively minor in nature" and was contained within the top floor of the ten-story building. Some equipment was damaged by the blaze and there is no current estimate on the amount of damage that was done.

The building is currently under construction and will produce cement and rock fill for underground operations. It is not going to begin operations until 2009 or early 2010.

Authorities do not yet know the cause of the fire but it is being investigated by government safety officials with the Workers Safety and Compensation Commission as well as Diavik mine representatives.

The mine, located approximately 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, is not expecting the incident to interrupt the future underground schedule.

"Mining operations have not been affected by this," said Hoefer.