East London auto shop fire causes $250K in damages, prompts safety warning

Huge plumes of black smoke pushed into the air over east London on Monday afternoon.

The London Fire Department asked residents in the area of Clarke Road and Gore Road to close windows and avoid going outside while the fire was being brought under control.

Platoon Chief Jamie Britton told CTV News, “It was a fair bit of heavy black smoke, so a lot of carbon in that smoke, which is very cancer causing. All smoke has some type of carcinogenic in it. So, none of it is safe to breathe in.”

Officials say the blaze started over the noon hour in a Quonset hut being used as an auto repair shop. The fire then spread into an attached building.

A man who was inside the structure told fire crews he was working on a vehicle when a spark ignited the fire, which spread quickly.

The man escaped the blaze and was checked over by paramedics on scene.

Fire officials estimate the damage at about $250,000.