A forklift fire at the RONA store in Teulon last month caused smoke damage and temporary changes to store operations, but no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 20 when a diesel forklift parked in the store’s receiving room caught fire, according to Darin Lemieux, chief operating officer of RONA North Group.
The forklift had been parked inside as part of standard practice during periods of extreme cold because the machine is diesel-powered.
“The only major fire damage was to the forklift itself,” Lemieux said. “Minimal product was damaged in receiving because the fire was contained to the unit.”
The diesel fire produced a large amount of oily smoke and soot that affected some inventory in the receiving area. Store officials are working with their insurance company to determine which items remain saleable.
The incident has resulted in temporary operational changes while cleanup and recovery work continues.
The store is currently open Monday through Friday only and operating on a curbside basis for retail customers. Commercial customers continue to be served as fully as possible.
Operations are currently being handled out of the commercial area of the property, with plans to move into onsite ATCO trailers next week.
Lemieux said customers still have access to products through the company’s warehouse network and its Gimli location while restoration work continues in Teulon.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
“Restoring our full presence in Teulon is our top priority, and our team is working as quickly as possible to make that happen,” Lemieux said.
He thanked customers and the community for their patience and support during the recovery.
