Mathieu Gallant, owner of Fromagerie, says the frame of his delivery car turned red as a toaster element as it burned. ContributedArticle contentWhen Mathieu Gallant left the restaurant in Tyne Valley, everything was fine. He had finished the Fromagerie cheese curd delivery and was heading to a wake.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentBut as he drove on McNeills Mills Road, smoke began to pour out of the car’s hood.Article contentArticle contentGallant thought he would just pull over and check it out — until he tried the brakes, and nothing happened.Article contentHe pressed all the way to the floor and kept pumping the pedal, thinking it may kick in.Article contentArticle contentWhen it didn’t work, he decided to try the handbrake, which allowed him to ease the car into a nearby driveway.Article contentThat’s when things got serious. As he opened the driver’s side door, he saw the fire curling in from under the car.Article contentSo he grabbed his phone, wallet and some papers and got out as soon as he could, Gallant told the Guardian in a June 26 interview.Article contentWhile Gallant, who owns Fromagerie, wasn’t hurt, the car went up completely in flames. It got so hot, the frame turned red like a toaster element, he said.Article content“For somebody that never witnessed one before, you didn’t want to be too close,” he said. “The seats were all burnt out of it.”Article content Mathieu Gallant, owner of Fromagerie, says his delivery vehicle caught on fire while driving in western P.E.I. ContributedArticle contentDelivery vehicleArticle contentThe car was one of three delivery vehicles the company uses in the Maritimes, with one for each province. It had the backseats modified to allow a cooler, and it was 10 years old, Gallant said.Article contentWith nothing left but charred metal and plastic, Gallant is waiting to hear from an insurance adjuster but isn’t hoping for much. A new vehicle is not in this year’s budget, he said.Article contentArticle contentThe people who owned the house — strangers to Gallant – came running out to assist. Gallant also called the Tyne Valley fire department.Article contentArticle contentAll told, things could have been worse, Gallant said. He had no cheese in the vehicle because he just finished a delivery. There was also little gas in the tank, because he was planning to fill it up after the next stop.Article content“There wasn’t too much of valuables. Like, I lost my mailbox key and some cash, but I got out of it without a burn mark on my clothes, so I’m pretty fortunate on that end.”Article contentThe experience was jarring, though, and Gallant says it was quite a rush in the moment.Article content The Fromagerie delivery vehicle had no cheese in it when it caught on fire, but the vehicle was completely destroyed. ContributedArticle contentReturning to normalArticle contentBut, with everything OK as the dust settles, life carries on.Article content“The first 24 hours, like whenever I got home and called the insurance, you’re kind of still on your nerves,” he said. “The next morning, I had to get another vehicle and do some deliveries.”
No one hurt, no stock lost as fire engulfs Fromagerie cheese delivery car in western P.E.I.
