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MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
The blaze in North Transcona left melted metal, burned-out vehicle frames and soot on the Gunn Road property.<\/p>\n
MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS Hundreds of burnt out cars sit in a lot at 568 Gunn Road, destroyed by a grassfire that ravaged several businesses in North Transcona on Monday. Reporter: Nicole Buffie 250513 – Tuesday, May 13, 2025.<\/p>\n
Both deny all allegations of wrongdoing and ask for the lawsuit filed by 10104753 Manitoba Ltd., in the Court of King\u2019s Bench earlier this year to be tossed out of court, the court filings say.<\/p>\n
The company rented out parts of the property to others and stored its own vehicles there. The lawsuit claims the company lost more than $400,000 as a result of the alleged negligence and breaches. The RM argues the company exaggerated the extent of its losses and damages in its recently filed statement of defence.<\/p>\n
The blaze began as a wildfire nearby before spreading to the property, where hundreds of old vehicles were engulfed in flames and destroyed. Some industrial buildings in the area were damaged, too. Springfield is adjacent to the lot, on the northeast edge of Winnipeg.<\/p>\n
The municipal governments argue the company contributed to the fire\u2019s spread by keeping the property in dangerous condition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe plaintiff appeared to be operating a vehicle deconstruction business with little or no regard for fire safety,\u201d reads the city\u2019s statement of defence. \u201cThe property is and was tightly filled with vehicles and toxic, combustible materials.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city alleges the company generally failed to adhere to the provincial Fire Act and Manitoba Fire Code. It also asserts the company failed to have appropriate fire safety and suppression systems in place, to properly store dangerous materials, to put in fire breaks and to address fire hazards.<\/p>\n
The suit accuses the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and Springfield Fire and Rescue Services of having the resources and opportunities to extinguish the fire at 568 Gunn Rd., but failing to use them. The governments denied those claims.<\/p>\n
The city argues attempting to fight the fire on the property itself would have been too dangerous, likely would have caused greater damage and put firefighters at risk. The RM, similarly, accuses the property owner of keeping the lot in dangerous condition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nature of the vehicles stored on the property resulted in a fire burning too hot and with too much toxic smoke to allow the WFPS to directly attack the fire on the property,\u201d reads the city\u2019s court papers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tight location of the vehicles on the property made it impossible for the WFPS to directly engage with the fire\u2026 without unreasonably risking the safety of individual firefighters, and the heat of the fire\u2026 due to chemicals stored by the plaintiff meant that attempting to extinguish the fire directly would not have been a reasonable use of resources.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
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The company\u2019s lawsuit alleges the city called in Springfield firefighters to help because of an inadequate water supply, which the city denied in its court filing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWFPS contacted dispatch and requested mutual aid from Springfield Fire and Rescue Services but says that the call was not because of a lack of available water supply but to supplement the city\u2019s water supply,\u201d reads the city\u2019s filing.<\/p>\n
Springfield also filed a cross-claim against the city, seeking to have Winnipeg held at least partially responsible for damages, if the court rules the RM is liable for any.<\/p>\n
The matter has yet to be heard in court.<\/p>\n
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n
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Erik Pindera Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020.\u00a0 Read more about Erik<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Reporter
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