Early morning fire devastates Sarnia, Ont. heritage home
Residents are in shock after an early morning fire engulfed a heritage home on Christina Street in Sarnia.
Just after 7 a.m. on Friday, Sarnia fire crews responded to a heritage home located on Christina Street.
According to Deputy Fire Chief Ken Dwinell, the structure was “fully involved” by flames by the time fire crews arrived on scene, so fire crews at first attacked the blaze from the inside, but later took a defensive approach and attacked the blaze from the outside.
Firefighters had dificulting accessing the laze from above through the attic due to the building being outfitted with a steel roof years ago. This made the blaze stubborn, and nearly impossible to get water into the roof of the structure.
The building on the corner of Christina and Maxwell streets was well known in the community.
“Just the loss. It was a beautiful building inside and out,” said Melinda DeVries. “It used to be my insurance company back in the day. The devastation. I can't even imagine what the owners are going through.”
Crews are on scene of a structure fire on Christina Street N in Sarnia on June 9, 2023. (Source: Sarnia Fire Rescue)
Te building had been vacant for approximately 18 months and was currently under construction. Markus Henne, who owns a nearby jewelry store, was shocked when cycling to work.
“Coming through the hotel parking lot, I'd see the smoke billowing up, and I didn't know what was going on. And then I come around the corner and see all these fire trucks and I thought, ‘Oh, my God.’ And that was my parents place,” he said.
The fire did not spread to any other buildings, and no one was inside at the time of the fire.
Christine Street, between Nelson Street and London Road remains closed at this time.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, and a damage estimate is still unknown.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.