Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.
Crews were able to get to the piece of equipment that was ablaze and ventilate the toxic fumes. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)
toxic fire

Machine in public works yard causes fire

Jun 6, 2019 | 1:43 PM

A nasty fire at the public works yard on 10th Street East this morning turned out to be a piece of operating equipment that caught alight.

The PA Fire Department was called to the incident around 8:15 a.m. in the workshop and crews had to deal with thick black smoke.

Acting Chief Chris Olsen said the building was not under threat.

“The fire did not involve the structure but there is some smoke damage we’ll have to contend with,” he told paNOW.

Crews with breathing apparatus were seen carefully manoeuvering before entering a side door to the shop as thick black smoke billowed out.

“Our crews made entry, there was no one in there at the time, and we were able to ventilate all the toxic smoke out,” Olsen said. He added it wasn’t immediately clear what type of machinery had caught alight but said it was something like a lawn mower.

Olsen credits early detection for the fire not spreading.

“We were successful because the fire was detected and reported early and everyone got out. That’s what everyone can take away from this,” he said.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow