City fire destroys van, shed but building spared

Owen Sound firefighters put out a fire behind Mellish Appliance Service which destroyed a service van, shed and lean-to but didn’t damage the shop itself.

Fire Capt. Jeff Finch said 12 firefighters responded, including those called in on a second alarm, after a report at 9:10 p.m. of a fire and explosion. That was likely the tires bursting, he said.

The fire created a plume of black smoke high overhead.

Fire spread from the van to a shed and then to a lean-to beside the repair shop. The estimated damage on the fire report was $30,000. A fire inspector suspects the fire was caused by an electrical problem in the engine compartment of the service van.

The shop, at 1333 2^ndAve. E., had some smoke inside but quick action by firefighters kept the fire from the building catching fire, Finch said. All firefighters were back at the station by midnight, he said.