PHOTOS: Major Fire In East Windsor

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Photos by Owen Wolter

Updated Thursday, 6:54am

Windsor Fire crews are still on scene of a fire in east Windsor at the old Wickes Bumper Plant in the 9100 block of  Tecumseh Road east, just past Lauzon Road.

Officials say that a  few hot spots still remain, but the fire is mostly out.

The fire broke out around 6:15pm Wednesday.  At the height of the fire multiple fire crews are on the scene and fire crews from Tecumseh and LaSalle were providing coverage for the city.

Windsor Fire had asked all residents south of the fire location to shelter in their homes, but that has since been lifted.

Chief Fire Prevention Officer Lee Tome says most of what’s burning is an asphalt roof. Tome said the building has deep pits inside and firefighters are only battling the blaze from outside.

Tome confirmed that toxic chemicals once stored in the building were removed in 2010.  The building is owned by the City of Windsor. It was taken over in a tax sale in 2010.

The city sought expressions of interest for the purchase, demolition, and redevelopment of the former bumper factory in early 2012.

The plant closed in 1990, and in 2012 a report to city council cited environmental risks on the property, including deposits of chromium, copper and nickel.

Tome said air quality monitoring had being set up southwest of the fire to determine if the smoke produced qualifies as a hazmat situation.

Windsor Police asked several curious residents to leave the parking lot at Tecumseh Mall citing an evacuation of the immediate are where smoke is drifting.

There were no injuries from the fire. Tome said investigators will begin their inspection as soon as the fire is out and its safe to examine the building’s wreckage.

A firefighter uses a rotary saw to cut through a chain link fence

Hundreds of people gathered to watch the fire

Chief training officer Paul Acton coordinates safety for crews fighting the blaze

The Emergency Supply Unit supplies breathing air and extra lighting when needed

A fire captain and a firefighter use a ground monitor, a type of mounted, aimable mechanism while spare Draeger air bottles sit in the foreground

The crews of Rescue Two and Engine Two, from fire station 2 in Walkerville, walk away from the building for a break

A Windsor Police sergeant walks along Tecumseh Road as smoke drifts through the intersection at Yolanda Street

The Eastown plaza sign is barely visible as smoke drifts across Tecumseh Road, backlit by the setting sun.

Two fire apparatus drivers watch the blaze while paying attention to water pump pressure on their vehicles

The setting sun is clouded by smoke from the blaze

Chief fire prevention officer Lee Tome snaps a photo of the blaze to inform the public on Windsor Fire’s official twitter account

A fire engine driver keeps hydrated with a drink of Gatorade

Truck Seven, from station 7 on Lauzon, was among the first fire trucks on scene. Soft, unsteady, grassy areas around the structure prevented firefighters from fighting the blaze from multiple aerial platforms which require a sturdy ground for operation.

Firefighters were able to use Truck One, from station 1 in Downtown Windsor, as an aerial platform.

Staff and a manager from the neighbouring Canadian Tire store deliver bottles of water to help keep fire crews hydrated

As the sun set, fire continued to burn in the southeast corner of the former Wickes plant