Winnipeg company sues city, rural municipality over vehicle yard fire

Firefighters battle a large fire on Gunn Road in Winnipeg's Transcona neighbourhood on May 12, 2025. (Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

A Transcona company is suing the City of Winnipeg and the Rural Municipality (RM) of Springfield, alleging firefighters failed to properly extinguish a massive blaze that destroyed hundreds of vehicles and left behind environmental damage.

In a statement of claim filed on Feb. 27 in the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba, 10104753 Manitoba Ltd. alleges the municipalities were negligent in their response to a May 12, 2025, fire at 568 Gunn Rd.

The company said it owns the property, which it uses to rent and store vehicles. According to the lawsuit, a grass fire began in an area surrounding the property and spread, ultimately engulfing the vehicles.

“The fire burnt with such vigour as to melt much of the vehicles down to their chassis,” reads the lawsuit. “Hundreds of vehicles on the property were completely destroyed, leaving melted metal and toxic substances to seep into the soil.”

According to the suit, the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service responded to reports of the fire threatening vehicles and extinguished a small fire outside the property. The lawsuit alleges firefighters then called in support from Springfield Fire and Rescue Services in the adjacent RM due to a lack of available water supply.

The company claims both departments made a “negligent operational decision” by establishing a control line around the property but failed to suppress and extinguish flames consuming the vehicles. The lawsuit alleges firefighters had additional resources and opportunities to fight the blaze more aggressively but instead focused on protecting surrounding properties.

The plaintiff also alleges the City of Winnipeg was negligent in the design, installation and maintenance of fire hydrant infrastructure in the area, resulting in inadequate water supply that hindered firefighting efforts.

“The City knew or ought to have known that there was an inadequate water supply in the event of a fire in the specific location of the property,” reads the statement of claim.

• 2025 STORY: Winnipeg firefighters battle large blaze in Transcona

The company argues both municipalities owed a duty of care to provide reasonable firefighting services and to maintain infrastructure capable of supporting effective fire suppression.

As a result, the company claims it has incurred significant costs for the environmental remediation and land restoration, as well as lost income during the cleanup. The statement of claim puts damages at more than $407,092.

The cause of the fire is unknown, according to the lawsuit.

The City of Winnipeg and the RM of Springfield both declined to comment as the matter is before the courts.

None of the allegations have been tested in court and no statements of defense have been filed yet.