‘Significant’ fire breaks out a former Goodyear plant in Bowmanville

Firefighters arrived to find heavy black smoke and the roof of the building on Queen Street engulfed in flames. The plant has been vacant for years.

Video shows a large fire at an industrial plant in downtown Bowmanville overnight, with thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the unoccupied building.

Clarington Emergency and Fire Services said they responded to a fire shortly after midnight on Monday at the former Goodyear Lands, which is located at 45 Raynes Ave., near Queen Street and Liberty Street South.

Deputy Fire Chief Randy Cowan said fire crews found heavy black smoke and large flames coming off the roof when they arrived.

He added the “significant” fire caused the building to partially collapse on the north side.

No one was inside of the building at the time, Cowan said, and the blaze is currently under control.

He added that the fire has not spread to adjacent areas.

Crews remain on site to extinguish any hot spots and monitor smoke conditions, whcih are minimal.

Clarington fire is asking residents to stay away from the area for their safety.

“There is no risk to air quality at this time; however, sections of the building are unstable. Fire crews are expected to stay on site for the remainder of the day,” they said in a statement.

Durham Regional Police said they assisted with traffic management and evacuation of some nearby residences.

“The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is en route to the scene to evaluate the environmental conditions, including air and water quality,” an updated statement read.

“The Municipality extends its appreciation to our incredible firefighters for their swift, professional, and coordinated response to this incident.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.