Blaze leaves decades-old Logan Avenue business in ruins

Dave Baxter · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 29, 2025 3:19 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

A concern proprietor and his household person been near devastated and wondering what it volition instrumentality to rebuild after a occurrence ripped done a Winnipeg concern that has been successful the family for much than 70 years. 

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

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

When constabulary arrived, a occurrence astatine the gathering was already retired of power and burning done the roof, helium said. 

"So it was a antiaircraft occurrence from the get-go," Grout said. 

Firefighters worked until astir 5:30 a.m. connected Sunday to get the occurrence nether control, and Grout said the harm near from the blaze is extensive. 

He added each oregon immoderate of the gathering volition present beryllium demolished, and they are hoping erstwhile that happens that investigators tin effort to get a amended thought of however the occurrence started.  

"It's inactive nether investigation," Grout said. "They can't truly get into wherever the occurrence began until the demolition is done, and past possibly they tin implicit the probe then."

Osadac, 1 of the owners, said his household started the business at the Logan determination successful 1951, and it's been successful the household ever since. 

The concern presently manufactures and sells products specified arsenic customized artillery and star cables, solar-powered lighting systems for billboard signs, boosting systems for the towing industry, and portable powerfulness units.

He said portion his household deals with the shock, they volition commencement to make a program and hopefully rebuild, either successful the aforesaid location, oregon perchance determination else. 

"It's beauteous bad," helium said. "I don't cognize what caused it, but it's sad. I'm disquieted astir my guys, my employees, to marque definite we tin instrumentality attraction of them moving forward.

"It makes maine consciousness sad, but a small spot motivated to physique it backmost again better, but we'll see."

But owed to the damage, Osadac said helium and his household don't expect to beryllium moving successful the aforesaid gathering anytime soon. 

"I conjecture we volition effort and spot if we tin get immoderate spot temporarily," helium said. "It doesn't look similar thing is salvageable, and the parts that didn't pain got a batch of h2o damage.

"I'm not definite however it's going to enactment retired with insurance, it's each a small spot concerning."

He added helium does not yet cognize what the grade of the harm is, but said it is apt "in the millions."

Grout said that arsenic of Sunday morning, firefighters inactive didn't cognize however the occurrence started oregon if arson was involved. He said nary 1 was wrong the gathering astatine the clip of the fire, and determination were nary injuries. 

Weekend fires

The blaze was 1 of 3 operation fires that Winnipeg firefighters responded to since Saturday night. 

At 10:10 p.m. connected Saturday, Winnipeg occurrence crews responded to reports of a occurrence successful a location on Higgins Avenue, eastbound of Main Street, according to a Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service release, 

At the scene, crews recovered fume and flames coming from the house. Firefighters utilized a antiaircraft onslaught until they could safely usage an violative strategy, and declared the occurrence nether power astatine 11:23 p.m.

No injuries were reported. The occurrence is nether probe and nary harm estimates are yet available.

Around 7:19 a.m. connected Sunday, firefighters responded to reports of a occurrence successful a vacant and boarded location connected Aberdeen Avenue, betwixt Aikins and Andrews streets.

At the scene, firefighters recovered flames and fume coming from the house. Firefighters fought the fire, declaring it nether power astatine 8:17 a.m.

No injuries were reported. The occurrence is besides inactive nether probe and nary harm estimates were disposable arsenic of Sunday afternoon, WFPS said.