The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) suffered through its third fire in three years Sunday night. Fortunately, no injuries were reported but there was fire damage.
The Ottawa Citizen reported that officials indicated the fire was started by an electrical short in an electroplating vat where coins are coated.
According to the same article, the approximate damage amount for this fire and the past two were:
- $300,000 for Jan. 20, 2008
- $600,000 for the incident in 2007
- And $500,000 for the fire in 2005
A short article from CBC News regarding the fire also follows:
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2000 certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale.
