A massive fire at a Sixth Line cigarette manufacturing building brought together resources from around southern Ontario in order to fight it and put it out.

“It was huge,” said Six Nations Fire Chief Michael Seth about the Monday afternoon fire.

The big barn which was west of Chiefswood Road was filled with cigarettes and, once it was lit, the fire was stubborn and long-lasting. Seth said his department was called out at 4:45 and a stop wasn’t called until just before midnight.

“We figure there’s in excess of $1 million in damages,” said the fire chief.

Seth is the only full-time employee of the fire department and, throughout the evening, he called on 32 part-timers and volunteer firefighters from the community – everyone of his resources except those who were away on vacation.

He also leaned on neighbouring facilities, borrowing both pumper tankers and/or men from Norfolk County, Haldimand County (which sent equipment from Hagersville, Caledonia and Jarvis), Brant County and the city of Hamilton.

Several deputy chiefs or platoon chiefs also came to help.

The only blessing of the situation was that the clouds of cigarette smoke from the product inside the building was blown away from the firefighters into a treed area.

“In the time we were there we had 29 various pieces of apparatus on the scene and close to 100 firefighters. Due to the contents it was difficult to get under control and extinguish.”

Seth said although the Fire Marshal’s office has been called in, the fire is not being deemed suspicious. The property owner had security on the site and the workers had just left about half an hour before the fire started.

The facilities – including a vacant barn behind the manufacturing site – were a complete loss.

“We’re very appreciative of our neighbours who provided equipment and personnel to deal with this excruciating fire,” Seth said. “It was a hard-fought fight and the others who came to help were vital.”

The fire chief noted that ongoing federal cutbacks to his department make it increasingly difficult to manage the meagre resources he’s left with.

susan.gamble@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: EXPSGamble

REPOST (Courtesy of Paris Star Online)