Flames tore through a cooking oil recycling plant just outside Woodstock early Sunday morning, reducing the building to a pile of charred rubble.
Brant County OPP officers were on patrol when they spotted the fire at Roslin Enterprises in Blandford Blenheim at about 3 a.m.
Firefighters rushed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, the building was already fully involved.
“Our two main concerns when we did arrive were three large propane tanks [that] are used for heating the place, and also the run-off of the water,” says Fire Chief Rick Richardson.
The Goliboskis live across the street from Roslin Enterprises, and were startled awake by a loud bang around 4 a.m.
“At first we thought it was the thunderstorms still occurring,” explains Melanie.
Now, she suspects the noises were caused by exploding separation tanks inside the plant.
“It was just a big boom. And then something else would go boom,” she adds.
An inspector with the Ministry of Environment was called in to help monitor the situation.
Officials also invited the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, but because the fire isn’t suspicious, the OFM is not investigating.
Firefighters were still working to extinguish hot spots late Sunday afternoon.
The total cost is estimated at about $5 million, and the cause is still unknown.
Fortunately, no one was inside the building when the fire broke out, and no injuries have been reported.
Ken Feltis, a new employee at Roslin Enterprises, says he expects the company to bounce back from this devastating blow.
“They’re committed to their clientele,” he notes. “I’m pretty sure they’ll do whatever it takes to get things back together.”
According to the company website, it has contracts with McDonalds, Harvey's, Swiss Chalet and Kelsey's, among others.
Highway 2 was temporarily closed between Gobles Road and Oxford County Road 22 while crews battled the blaze, but has now reopened.
