The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Milton's Community Newspaper SinCe 1860 N E WS S PO0RT S A &E Milton kids have lOth anniversary for Book pays tribut( best teeth: Region Brush's Everbiades to speedboat www.rmltoncanadianchampion.com Aeeekenci Édition AH i ,EEEMT in, M -lre jùiaîn-Vl 4 Ný1 tdyAr 1 0 Fire rips through autobody shop Spark quickly becomes inferno By Stephanie Hounseil CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF "Thirty-seven years." Those were Rudy Robniks only audible words as he stared at the charred remains and floating ash that made up his Main Street auto shop Tuesday aftemnoon. Shordly after 12:30 p.m., Robnik had watched almost four decades of hard work go up in smoke - literally- when Milton Import Car Centre ignit- ed, damaged to the tune of almost $1 million. Robnik had tears under his eyes as he stood, transfixed, looking at the bumed-ouî garage containing the shells of three blackened vchicles. The air was thîck with the smell of sînged rubber. Today's Champion OPINION AIS CLASSIFIED A28 DATELINE B12 REAL ESTATE C9 moln-,toncanadiancoamplon com FULLUISITION A&P - ZELLER POOTD BASICS SLEEP PiCTOAS SUPERSORE -STOME LIAK PARTIAL DISTRIBUTION CAL MART MACHS* CANATIAA TIRE- PNT RILS - TATINOS - HOO,.AT, PARK - DR TREEAi. HOME HARDWARE. - OMA OUTRITTERS -PElLE CHOPPEA - TTAEHS OTECANS - LOWES - CANADIAN CC' LiTAS ROCK AUR OATK SCREEMS - HOPPERO TRU CAT. - SARS S UTURA TROP . ONTTS.-TOHO ROUS TRUORE AES - ASRO RTO TTHYSRPOSO*THE SHTE TO -ANHOAN TRE www.miltontoyotacom "The buildings a total wîite-off," said Milton Fîre Departments Barry Kory pegging the damage at between $800,000 and $1 million. When firefighters responded to the autobody business, located between Ontario Street and Wilson Drive across [rom Milton Mail, they were greeted by a fully involved building, Kory said. Observers heard a series of loud explosions. The flames were knocked down quickly j by about 30 [ire- fighters who stayed on the scene for several hours to keep their eyes on hot spots. Kory said the blaze started when the two clamps of a Milton Import Car jumper cable Cehtre owner Rudy touched, creat- Robnik was devastat- ing a spark that ed when f ire ignited gas destroyed his auto vapours ema- body shop Tuesday. nating [rom an open gas can. -It could've been a poten- tially deadly combînation,' he said. Robnik tried unsuccessfully to put out the ire with an extinguLsher, but it was just too big by that time, Kory said. It took mere minutes for the initial spark to become an infemo, he added. Fortunately Robnik, as well as an employee, escaped without serious injury, although Robnik had some heat burns to his face. Korv said the incident could've been much worse, particularly since there were cans of volatile liquida in the garage. But fire crews were able to stop the blaze before the liquids were con- sumed, he said. If theres a lesson for the public, Kory said its to reahize just how quîck- c ee LUCKILV on page A3 Firefighters hatile the Milton Import Care Centre blaze through thick smoke. GHRAHAM PAINE /ANADIAN CHAMPION Che&k AIC compMuso oportion. Nctw on t AIqs«t for Che&k AIC driv bit mmfflduncy. # BuIcK - #déia*Pd dMonth *A#ilu stock DiaxodJeler M f I , E. 87e»"