SOUTH BAYMOUTH— A spectacular trailer fire behind John Budd Park in South Baymouth could have been much worse but for the quick thinking and action of nearby residents who improvised hoses and held the fire until local fire crews could respond.
Tehkummah Fire Chief Jeff Wilson said that the suspected source of the blaze was a propane fridge. “The floor at centre of the structure was completely burnt out,” said Mr. Wilson, noting that the location of the most intense part of the fire appeared to be in the centre of the structure and that the owners had indicated that there was nothing else on in the trailer at the time of the fire.
Luckily, there were no injuries as the occupants of the trailer were away at the time. “The man had gone to the Laundromat and the lady was at (Carol’s and) Earl’s (restaurant),” said Mr. Wilson. Even the family dog escaped injury. “Normally the dog would have been there, but the man had taken his dog with him as he didn’t want to leave him alone in the heat,” said the fire chief.
There was some damage to another nearby trailer due to the intensity of the blaze. “His trailer got melted a little bit,” said Mr. Wilson. The fire chief explained that a couple of neighbours had hoses and, with the help of some of the campers, they were able to hold the blaze and contain the fire until the fire crew arrived.
A video of the blaze and the battle to contain it is posted on The Expositor website at manitoulin.ca.
