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
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.