Manitoba Public Insurance suing Ford after vehicle damaged by block heater fire

Manitoba's public insurer has launched a lawsuit against a major automobile manufacturer, after ablock heater fire damaged a vehicle in Winnipeg.

Manitoba Public Insurance's lawsuit against Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd. claims either theblock heater or its installationwas defective.

The fire involved a Ford Escape that was parked in a lot at a business on Raleigh Street in November 2021.

The vehicle was parked with its block heater plugged into "an appropriate power source, when it caught fire and was damaged beyond reasonable repair," says a statement of claimfiled Nov.24in Manitoba Court of King's Bench.

As the insurer of the vehicle, MPI's lawsuit is seeking $15,932 for the loss of the 2014 Escape, plus interest payments and other costs.

The Crown corporation's suitalleges the fire was caused by "defects in the design, manufacture, and assembly of the Escape by Ford," or by defects in the design, manufacture, or installation of the block heater.

It says the automaker owed a duty to the owner of the Escape to ensure the vehicle and the block heater met appropriate standards and were safe for use.

Ford breached that duty by failing to exercise "care, skill, diligence, or competence in approving the design of the Escape and the block heater," and failing to adequately test the block heater and ensure proper installation of it, MPI alleges.

After the vehicle was damaged by fire, the public insurer was required to pay $15,932 for the vehicle and items such as an insurance deductible, reimbursement of GSTand towing costs, the lawsuit says.

Beyond its statement of claim, MPI cannotcomment on any legal matter before the courts,spokesperson Kristy Rydz said in an email to CBC.

Ford Canada has not yet filed a statement of defence in court. When contacted by CBC, a Ford spokesperson said the company typically does not comment on pending litigation.

This is not the first time Manitoba's public auto insurance agency has filed a lawsuit related to a block heater fire.

In 2021, MPI filed a claim against Toyota Canada and other parties, including a local dealership, after a vehicle was destroyed in a fire that MPI claimed was caused by the block heater.

MPI advice on preventing block heater fires

Asked what Manitobans can do to help prevent block heater fires in their vehicles, MPI provided some advice:

• Don't drive over your extension cord. That can cause cracking or breaking during bitterly cold weather.
• Cover your block heater plug-in with a protective cover.
• Unplug your block heater by using the hard rubber end. Pulling on the cord can break it and cause potential electrical issues.
• Have your block heater cord inspected each fall by a mechanic.

MPI also advises people not to plug in their vehicles inside a garage or any other enclosed structure.

If a vehicle has a known defect in a block heater, or any other safety defect, vehicle owners can search for information on safety recalls in Transport Canada'svehicle safety recalls database.