Nobody was injured in a massive overnight fire that destroyed part of a Tillsonburg auto-parts plant, causing an estimated $10 million in damage and affecting at least 80 jobs, a fire official said Wednesday.
Marwood International Inc., a Tier 1 original equipment manufacturer for automotive structural components and a modular assembly supplier, operates six production facilities in the region, including four in Tillsonburg, one in Woodstock and another in Ingersoll, according to its website.
A late-night blaze ripped through a section of Marwood’s Plant 3 at 101 Townline Rd. around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, destroying equipment and a 930-square-metre (10,000-square-foot) production area, Tillsonburg fire prevention officer Geoff Hayman told The Free Press.
Firefighters were called to the plant at about 8:35 p.m. to find heavy smoke and visible flames, Hayman said.
About 45 firefighters from Tillsonburg, Norfolk County’s Courtland station, and Ingersoll battled the fire for nearly five hours, using two aerial trucks and three pumpers, working defensively after part of the roof collapsed, Hayman said.
The fire was under control by Wednesday at 1:30 a.m., and the last truck cleared the scene by 7:45 a.m., he added.
Preliminary assessments estimate the damage at roughly $10 million, including structural damage and the cost of replacing specialized equipment, Hayman said.
“The concern obviously is whether or not it is an arson or an accidental fire,” Hayman said.
Hayman noted there was an “indication of equipment malfunction” near finished product stored in cardboard containers that “created a fire right next to some product that was ready for shipping.”
Workers at the plant attempted to suppress the blaze with fire extinguishers, he said.
“They were unsuccessful and called for assistance from the fire department. So, by the time we got there, the fire had built rapidly because of the materials and it got to the point where it was unsafe for the firefighters to be inside,” he said. “(Firefighters) attacked it from the outside to control it and contain it to the central section.”
The plant spans about 9,290 square metres, Hayman said. About 80 workers across two shifts will be affected as the company works to restore production.
“The building would be upward of 30 feet (nine metres) in height with a steel structure that is not easy to access, especially when the fire is within the center of the building,” he said. “The building had a working sprinkler system that was able to control portions of the fire but not the whole structure.”
Oxford OPP Const. Matthew Foster said the fire is not being investigated by police.
Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy praised emergency crews for preventing injuries and controlling the fire.
“To Marwood and the Marwood family, the town certainly sympathizes with the events that happened last evening,” she told The Free Press. “The town is very grateful that there were no injuries to any firefighters, individuals or employees at the manufacturing facility, and that is always the first and foremost concern, that everyone’s safe, so, we are absolutely thrilled to know that everyone was safe.”
Marwood International did not respond to a request for comment.
“Now, the company is working diligently to try to reestablish production and minimize the impact of the fire. However, it will be a while before the structure itself is remediated,” Hayman said.