Forest, Ont. loses historic downtown building to fire
A local fire chief says a million-dollar fire in a historic building in downtown Forest could have been far worse.
Laurence Swift, of the Lambton Shores Fire Department, says crews fought a stubborn battle with flames beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Several kilometres away a plume of smoke could be seen pouring from the century-old yellow brick building.
By morning, only its shell and bits of woods and brick remained.
“It’s pretty well burnt out on the inside. It’s unlikely to be restored,” Swift told CTV News London at the scene.
Thankfully no one was injured.
The building had been vacant, save for a ground-floor real estate office.
Swift says more than 60 firefighters, including crews from Petrolia and Exeter, assisted in the fight.
Initially, it took one hour to get the fire under control.
However, Swift says about two hours later, an aerial unit opened up the roof.
“We ended up with a big surprise.”
The flames kicked up again.
“The compartment was obviously filled with a high-energy amount of smoke and flames but it had no oxygen. When we opened up the area we introduced oxygen to it and the fire started going again.”
Once again, fears of losing the entire block motivated crews.
Swift says they keep most of the fire damage to the one building and protected the ornate Victorian building abutting it on one side.
Forest resident Ken Cable watched the battle, “It was tough to put out. They worked on that one for a long-time.”
Joanne Hobbs is also thankful the downtown she’s known for decades remains largely intact. Yet, she still she mourns losing another piece of its history.
“It’s a tough way for the community to come together.”
While surveying what is left, Swift concurred, “Losing a building in a downtown core is hard for any community. They’re gaps that often aren’t filled once the buildings are gone.”
The cause is undetermined but Swift says an electrical issue is the most likely culprit.
The building is likely to be knocked down for safety.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.