Wildfire enveloped a crew that was conducting operations in the vicinity of Sandy Lake in northwestern Ontario on June 7.
The main road was utilized to escape to safety after helicopters were unable to see or land due to the dense smog.
The superintendent of a construction crew that sought refuge in a shipping container as a conflagration that was out of control loomed over them has expressed gratitude for their survival.
The 19-member crew, all but one of whom were from communities throughout Manitoba, had been employed at a construction site in the vicinity of Sandy Lake in northwestern Ontario.
Wildfire in the vicinity of Sandy Lake in northwestern Ontario on June 7
Workers from Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. and Sigfusson Northern were on site to complete a project for Sandy Lake First Nation.
A harrowing video that was posted to social media platforms depicts the massive flames and smoke that are seen soaring above the treeline against a crimson sky, just meters from where the group was gathering.
“Actually, I believed that we were going to perish,” stated Neal Gillespie, an employee of Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc.
On Saturday, a conflagration engulfed a construction site near Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario, trapping a group of 19 construction workers, 18 of whom were from Manitoba.
According to Gillespie, the fire was approximately 40 kilometers distant at the commencement of the workday on Saturday morning. Around 9:30 a.m., the fire was considerably closer.
The personnel began to load up some of the equipment in the event that they were required to evacuate.
“The situation began to deteriorate slightly,” he stated.
He stated that Sandy Lake First Nation contacted them regarding the installation of fire barriers.
Consequently, they assembled their equipment and proceeded to a labor site located 14 kilometers to the west.
“The fire jumped on top of us within 45 minutes of us starting to get our gear out there,” he stated.
Sigfusson Northern and Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. confirmed on social media that their site had been impacted by wildfire.
They also stated that their personnel demonstrated an exceptional level of professionalism and fortitude in the face of a swiftly altering situation.
He stated that the group was required to abandon their equipment and congregate within the “extremely desolate” camp area, as a result of the emergency planning they had been conducting for several weeks.
The cargo container was employed to escape the heavy fumes and flames.
Gillespie stated, “The fire rose and danced directly in front of us.” He also mentioned that a few of the cargo containers in the vicinity of their location began to catch fire.
“Actually, I believed that we were on the brink of extinction. It was a terrible experience.”
They elected to evacuate the cargo container; however, upon exiting, a portion of it was captured on fire.
There were numerous attempts to evacuate the personnel via helicopter; however, the haze was too dense to locate or land, according to Gillespie.
“Three Huey helicopters approached our location in an attempt to identify us,” he stated, noting that the haze obstructed visibility.
“They were able to locate the coordinates, but they were unable to locate the camp,” he stated.
