Timmins fire crews battle freezing temps in 10-hour industrial blaze

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Firefighters battle intense industrial fire in Timmins in frigid temperatures

Fire at Timmins industrial complex

Firefighters in Timmins battled a significant structure fire at an industrial complex on Laforest Road for about 10 hours on Sunday.

The Timmins Fire Department responded to the scene at D&L Towing at approximately 4 a.m.

Heavy fire encountered

Crews arrived to find a well-involved building, the city said in a news release Monday.

“Fire crews encountered heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of the building and initiated an aggressive attack in an effort to slow the spread of the fire,” said the fire department.

Despite these efforts, the fire had already entered the roof structure and rapidly spread throughout the building.

Logistical and environmental challenges

Firefighting operations were complicated by logistical needs and severe winter conditions. Water supply was supported by tanker shuttles from Airport Road, with all of the fire department tankers deployed to maintain adequate water supply.

Firefighters struggled with cold temperatures and freezing equipment throughout the prolonged incident.

The temperature was a chilly minus 24 degrees Celsius when firefighters began their attack and the average temperature on Dec. 14 was only minus 18 degrees.

The fire was finally brought under control at about 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Investigation launched

Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

The cause of the north end fire remains under investigation.

“The Timmins Fire Department and the Office of the Fire Marshal will be conducting the investigation with the assistance of Timmins Police Service,” said the city.