Police called in to help investigate scrap yard fire (Updated)
Cst. Greg McLenaghan, of the North Bay Police Service, has been assigned to help investigate a fire Sunday at the Fern Piche and Sons Ltd. wrecking yard. The North Bay Fire Department doesn’t know yet what caused the metal milieu to ignite.
Cst. Greg McLenaghan, of the North Bay Police Service, has been assigned to help investigate a fire Sunday at the Fern Piche and Sons Ltd. wrecking yard.
The North Bay Fire Department doesn’t know yet what caused the metal milieu to ignite.
But owner Frank Piche suspects arson.
“The same thing happened to us here eight years ago, and it was a bunch of kids who started it back then,” Piche said.
“All I know is I’m quite upset about this and we’ll know better tomorrow what happened.”
Will be investigating Platoon Chief Dick Woodward, of the fire department, said the yard was very well secured with a padlocked gate and a guard dog “running around” inside.
“I can’t imagine kids or anybody getting in and setting it on fire.”
Piche said if someone did come in, it would have likely have been through the back of the yard.
Fire prevention officer Paul Altman will be investigating, Woodward said.
“Our concern right now is that this fire doesn’t make a lot of sense given the wet weather conditions we’ve had in North Bay over the last few days,” Woodward said.“Maybe a battery arced and sparked the fire.”
Fire knocked down Piche doesn’t think so. Regardless of the start, he said the fire losses will run between $20,000 and $50,000.
Firefighters were hampered somewhat because the nearest hydrant was about one-half mile away on Worthington Street.
Pumpers had to fill up and then return to the fire. Because of that, Woodward said, the attack team went into water conservation mode after making sure the fire wouldn’t spread.
“We waited until we had 5,500 gallons of water and then we hit the fire with two deluge guns and all that water, and that’s what knocked it down,” Woodward said.
There was some concern because of small explosions coming from within the fire.
“Those probably happened because of gas vapours coming from gas tanks in there,” Woodward said.
It took about three hours before the fire was extinguished. Fire officials estimated at least 100 scrap vehicles were destroyed in the fire.