Crews Face Unique Challenge As Two-Alarm Blaze Razes Mississauga Muffler Shop
Posted May 11, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The smoke could be seen for kilometres, and the explosions could be heard for blocks after a two alarm fire ripped through a muffler shop at Dundas and Cawthra in Mississauga late Friday morning.
The extensive blaze created havoc for firefighters, businesses and residents in the area as it quickly spread into a two alarm emergency. Due to the threat of explosions, crews had to wait until it was deemed safe before they started the labourious and dangerous process of extinguishing the flames.
“The first arriving crews found a fully involved building,” reveals District Chief Paul Van Zutphen. “The fire was fought from the outside, and reports of explosions, there was tanks and things involved in the fire so crews had to be cautious, and fight this from a distance.” Not everyone escaped unscathed – the owner of the building is in hospital and is being treated for smoke inhalation.
Witnesses couldn’t believe their eyes as ravenous flames and choking smoke quickly spread.
“We heard loud bangs and we assumed it was propane or gas tanks going off,” said one.
“Black smoke was just everywhere,” another adds. “You couldn’t see through the smoke it was so black.”
Officials believe the fire started inside the building, which was reduced to rubble with damages estimated at more than a million dollars.
“The building is almost totally collapsed now,” Van Zutphen adds. “ The roof has come in and we’ll have to have the building department come and they’ll have to do an analysis on the scene. So we’ll be here quite awhile.”
