The factory is owned by Energy Services International, whose services include transformer oil reclamation and vacuum drying, oil sampling and testing, and dechlorination of PCB contaminated oil and solid waste. Mitchell is a suburb in north Canberra.

Early Friday morning, the Australia Capital Territory Fire Brigade confirmed the fire was burning an undetermined amount of mineral oil within the building, which measures about 30 meters by 40 meters. The agency noted PCB was a by-product of the substance being burned.

Fire brigade personnel fought the fire with large quantities of foam. Initially, firefighting operations were interrupted Friday morning because of multiple explosions inside the building, the ESA stated. No injuries were reported.

We are pleased this morning that overnight we have been successful in extinguishing the fire, stated Simon Corbell, minister for police and emergency services, environment and sustainable development, on Saturday. We are taking a precautionary approach as we begin the recovery phase of the operations. While the fire brigade are returning to normal operations today, monitoring of the site will be ongoing for the next 48 to 72 hours.

Authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the cause and origin of the fire, according to an Australian government update yesterday.

Officials initially evacuated the suburb of Mitchell due to concerns over the possibility of toxins in the smoke from the fire. As of yesterday, an exclusion zone – an area off limits to the public – remained in effect at the factory fire site and the industrial estate in which it is located.

The Environment Protection Authority conducted comprehensive sampling and testing at the factory fire site, in Mitchell and surrounding suburbs, and is still checking for hazardous chemicals and residues. Testing of residual material from Mitchell and smoke paths showed no sign of toxic elements and no evidence of contaminants, government officials stated yesterday.