One recreational trailer was destroyed and two others damaged by a fire at Highland Pines Campground on May 16.
Fergus and Elora firefighters were called to the campground on Wellington Road 19 near Belwood at around 4:15pm.
Wellington County OPP and Guelph-Wellington paramedics also responded.
While the cause of the fire remains unknown, witnesses told firefighters it started near the propane tanks, said Centre Wellington Fire Chief Brad Patton.
Wellington OPP spokesperson Cst. Josh Cunningham said emergency services received a report of “a fully involved trailer fire.”
Fire dispatch stated it received numerous 911 calls about the incident. Don Vallery, owner of Highland Pines Campground, called 911.
“The trailer was already on fire and the tank was already on fire when I got here and it spread,” he said.
“Somebody told us about it … we immediately called the fire department.”
While the trailer fire was put out quickly by the fire department, an 85-gallon propane tank was the cause of some concern.
Flames were shooting up out of the top of the tank, but Patton said the fire was under control within 15 minutes of firefighters arriving on scene.
Patton said there was no mass evacuation, but people in the trailers close to the fire were asked to move to a safe distance.
Cunningham confirmed that emergency services evacuated the immediate area for people’s safety.
Patton said 20 firefighters responded and were at the scene for 2.5 hours.
There is no damage estimate yet for the loss of the trailers.
Vallery said the campground hadn’t had a fire like this in over 20 years.
In April 2012, three trailers in winter storage at the campground were destroyed in a suspected arson.
– with files from Mike Robinson
