Fire crews monitor hot spots after 5-alarm blaze in Scarborough
Toronto Fire crews are continuing to to monitor the Scarborough auto-wrecker's yard where a five-alarm blaze broke out shortly before noon Thursday.
The fire began in an oil pit at the back of the business near Sewells Road and Steeles Avenue East. The flames spread to an adjacent office building, causing extensive damage.
No one was injured.
"I think the crews did an excellent job with the circumstances," said Division Commander Bob O'Hallarn. "It was very windy, and the fire was being driven by that wind towards the north."
"There are some tanks at the back with gasoline and windshield washer fluid, and we managed to keep them cool so they didn't ignite."
The auto-wrecker's yard is nearly 90 metres away from fire hydrants, so a relay pump had to be used to pump water from one truck to the other to reach the fire. O'Hallarn said there were more than 13 trucks involved in the process.
"I've been working for the fire department for a lot of years, and I've never seen a relay any longer than this."
Toronto Fire also asked for pumpers from Pickering, Markham and Richmond Hill to help contain the fire.
The investigation is ongoing.
