FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - Five workers were injured Thursday afternoon in a fire at Sycrude's Mildred Lake facility in northern Alberta.

Three of the five were flown by air ambulance to an Edmonton hospital after the blaze broke out about 2 p.m., said Syncrude spokeswoman Cheryl Robb, but other than that she had little information.

"All I know is they were medevaced to Edmonton," she said six hours after the incident. "I don't know the extent of their injuries or any further details."

However, she said the other two workers who had been treated at a Fort McMurray hospital had been released by Thursday evening.

"Our priority right now is the injured workers and making sure their families are notified of the incident and then we will be investigating what caused the fire and what happened," said Robb.

"That takes some time, usually. There is an (Occupational Health and Safety) investigator on site now and we're working with them. We'll be conducting our own investigation also."

Robb said human resources personnel at Syncrude had been called in to help the families of the injured men.

"Just making sure they have what they need, because I think it's a difficult time for them," she said.

Robb confirmed that four of the men were contractors who all worked for one company, but she would not say which one.

The fifth man was a Syncrude employee.

Robb said firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze and isolated the unit while paramedics were called to the site to treat the injured.

She said the extent of the damage to the plant was believed to be minor and production was not halted as a result of the fire.

Syncrude has informed Alberta Environment, Workplace Health and Safety and the Energy Resources Conservation Board.

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