Peel Regional Police officers say they’re treating three fires involving tow trucks parked in Brampton residential neighbourhoods as suspicious.
A spokesperson for the service said emergency crews were called to Buffridge Trail, just west of Hurontario Street and south of Mayfield Road, at around 1 a.m.
Pictures shared with CityNews taken before first responders arrived showed flames and large plumes of smoke shooting into the sky.
One of the trucks was in a driveway next to other vehicles and the second was parked on the street.
Authorities said a third tow truck was found on fire on Venetian Terrace, south of Chinguacousy Road and Wanless Drive, early Tuesday.
A Peel Regional Police spokesperson told 680 NewsRadio Toronto the tow trucks are owned by the same company.
CityNews spoke with neighbours at one of the scenes who described the intensity of the fire.
“Very bad like in a movie, like an explosion. Very, very scary … because I’ve got two daughters with me and my daughter you can see the bedroom is beside,” Hector Herrera said.
Another witness who asked to only be identified as Danny said he and others saw the fires on Buffridge Trail.
“After a couple of minutes there we heard a little pop, pop, pop from the engines happening,” he said.
“A little bit concerning … we just don’t know how much it’s going to escalate and all that …. a little scary.”
Witnesses said it took about 15 to 20 minutes for emergency crews to arrive to the Buffridge Trail scene after the fires first started.
The fires mark the latest incidents in an ongoing battle against violence in part of the Greater Toronto Area tow truck industry.
Meanwhile, a police spokesperson said the incidents are being treated as “suspicious” by the 22 Division criminal investigative bureau.
With files from Carl Hanstke
