Blaze leaves decades-old Logan Avenue business in ruins

A business owner and his family have been left devastated and wondering what it will take to rebuild after a fire ripped through a Winnipeg business that has been in the family for more than 70 years. 

"So we gotta start again, I guess," Jason Osadac said Sunday morning. "It's a sad day." 

On Sunday around 1:30 a.m., Winnipeg fire crews were called to Westrock Battery & Auto Supply Ltd. at 601 Logan Ave, according to District 10 Chief John Grout. 

When police arrived, a fire at the building was already out of control and burning through the roof, he said. 

"So it was a defensive fire from the get-go," Grout said. 

Firefighters worked until approximately 5:30 a.m. on Sunday to get the fire under control, and Grout said the damage left from the blaze is extensive. 

He added all or some of the building will now be demolished, and they are hoping once that happens that investigators can try to get a better idea of how the fire started.  

"It's still under investigation," Grout said. "They can't really get into where the fire began until the demolition is done, and then maybe they can complete the investigation then."

Osadac, one of the owners, said his family started the business at the Logan location in 1951, and it's been in the family ever since. 

The business currently manufactures and sells products such as custom battery and solar cables, solar-powered lighting systems for billboard signs, boosting systems for the towing industry, and portable power units.

He said while his family deals with the shock, they will start to create a plan and hopefully rebuild, either in the same location, or possibly somewhere else. 

"It's pretty bad," he said. "I don't know what caused it, but it's sad. I'm worried about my guys, my employees, to make sure we can take care of them moving forward.

"It makes me feel sad, but a little bit motivated to build it back again better, but we'll see."

But due to the damage, Osadac said he and his family don't expect to be working in the same building anytime soon. 

"I guess we will try and see if we can get some place temporarily," he said. "It doesn't look like anything is salvageable, and the parts that didn't burn got a lot of water damage.

"I'm not sure how it's going to work out with insurance, it's all a little bit concerning."

He added he does not yet know what the extent of the damage is, but said it is likely "in the millions."

Grout said that as of Sunday morning, firefighters still didn't know how the fire started or if arson was involved. He said no one was inside the building at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries. 

Weekend fires

The blaze was one of three structure fires that Winnipeg firefighters responded to since Saturday night. 

At 10:10 p.m. on Saturday, Winnipeg fire crews responded to reports of a fire in a house on Higgins Avenue, east of Main Street, according to a Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service release.

At the scene, crews found smoke and flames coming from the house. Firefighters used a defensive attack until they could safely use an offensive strategy, and declared the fire under control at 11:23 p.m.

No injuries were reported. The fire is under investigation and no damage estimates are yet available.

Around 7:19 a.m. on Sunday, firefighters responded to reports of a fire in a vacant and boarded house on Aberdeen Avenue, between Aikins and Andrews streets.

At the scene, firefighters found flames and smoke coming from the house. Firefighters fought the fire, declaring it under control at 8:17 a.m.

No injuries were reported. The fire is also still under investigation and no damage estimates were available as of Sunday afternoon, WFPS said.