Fire destroys $1.5M in city trucks

A fire at a city lot destroyed five dump trucks worth $1.5 million early Sunday morning.

The blaze broke out shortly after 1 a.m. and consumed five trucks. A sixth truck was saved through aggressive work by firefighters, who had to cope with high winds, ruptured fuel tanks and flaming fuel running towards other vehicles.

Ottawa fire spokesman Marc Messier said a worker driving by spotted one of the trucks burning and called for help. Twenty-four firefighters in eight vehicles responded to the call, eventually knocking it down by about 1:50 a.m.

“There was a row of 11 trucks and one backhoe and the first five trucks are total write-offs and I’d say the sixth one will be, too,” Messier said.

A city spokesman said the trucks are used in the winter for salting the roads and in the summer for concrete and asphalt. He added that city work will not be affected by the loss of the trucks.

There were no reported injuries and the fire is under investigation, though Messier said there was nothing to indicate it could be classified as suspicious in nature.

Ottawa fire investigators were on the scene of a multiple vehicle fire on a city lot yesterday, where trucks were burned beyond repair. The cause of the fire is under investigation. RYAN HOLLAND/Special to the Sun