Antique car, tractor collection destroyed in fire

A major fire broke out on a property near the intersection of Rge. Rd. 14 and Twp. Rd. 334 just north of Olds last Thursday afternoon (March 9).

It destroyed a massive old dairy barn that had been converted into a shop, along with its precious contents: an extensive antique car and tractor collection. Total damage is estimated to be more than $3 million.

Owner Bert Curtiss and his wife Joyce were in their house on the property around 3:30 p.m. when a gas worker driving by noticed smoke coming from the shop and alerted them, he said.

In addition to the Olds Fire Department, four other departments responded to the call, which came in at 3:37 p.m., including Bowden, Carstairs, Didsbury and Sundre. It took 33 firefighters six hours to extinguish the blaze, and the rural location made the job more difficult.

"What makes it tough is that water supply is limited," said Olds acting fire chief Scott Chant, the lead investigator.

More than 140,000 gallons of water was hauled to the site, which was continually emptied into a portable container from which the hoses draw water to battle the blaze. As firefighters worked to control the fire, explosions could be heard.

Subzero temperatures, with windchills reaching -25C, complicated matters, sending two trucks back to base with frozen pumps and valves, while firefighters' gear and clothing got wet and then froze, making it harder for them to move.

A standby crew remained at the site overnight to ensure the fire remained extinguished and that no one disturbed the scene until investigators returned Friday morning.

Chant has been working with the province to establish the cause of the fire, which at the time of printing was still undetermined. It has been determined that the fire originated on a mezzanine level of the shop, near an area where Curtiss said he painted his cars.

Police and ambulance personnel were also called to the scene. Paramedics confirmed there was no one in the barn at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

Curtiss has lived on the hobby farm for the past 11 years, and the 40,000-square- foot barn played host to his pastime and passion: a collection of cars and tractors – including many antiques – as well as materials to restore them.

His collection of around 40 cars and 40 tractors included a 1931 Model A, two restored 1940 Ford pickups, a model A110 and two Thunderbird convertibles. He said he probably had as many as 25 antique cars in the barn, some appraised at more than $50,000.

"I've got a brand new Mustang Fastback in there. It's got 28 kilometres on it," said Curtiss. "Never had a chance to drive it."

Curtiss said he wasn't insured.

To add insult to injury, Curtiss had been at home recovering from surgery he had three weeks ago to remove a tumour from his spine.

"Most important thing, not possessions," said a paramedic on-scene, as he stood next to Curtiss. "You two are OK. No family members in there. Both of the cats got out."

But that seems like small consolation; Curtiss could only stand outside in the freezing cold and watch as the flames consumed the old dairy barn and his life's work.

"My whole life is there," he said.