Post by Max on Nov 30, 2007 12:37:27 GMT -3
Fire razes Wasaga beachfront
Matt Whittley for The Toronto Star
A four-alarm fire destroyed part of downtown Wasaga Beach along the waterfront early on Nov. 30.
Nov 30, 2007 09:08 AM
Canadian Press
WASAGA BEACH, Ont. — A huge overnight fire charred much of one of Ontario’s summer tourist destinations in this Georgian Bay community.
A wind-whipped fire erupted at about 1 a.m. and destroyed several buildings along the town’s 14 km. beachfront. Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Mark Kinney said the street mall area in the east end of the beach suffered significant damage.
“That pedestrian mall area is anywhere from about 50 to 70 per cent destroyed or very, very, very damaged,” Kinney said.
Lauren Thompson of the Wasaga Beach fire department said there were no reported injuries.One reason is that many of the structures had been closed for the winter and did not contain any residents.
“None of the businesses are open in the winter,” said Michelle Kahle of the Little General Convenience Store.
“There are only summer businesses — clothing stores, souvenir shops, an arcade and a couple of restaurants,” she said.
John Hutchinson, who owns the Dyconia Resort, says the fire may actually help the town spruce up the beachfront strip, where many of the structures were built in the 1930s and 40s.
“Everything was outdated there, so when insurance pays, they’ll have to rebuild and it’ll be nice stores going in there,” he said.
“It’s the same things that everybody is selling — T-shirts, bikinis, that type of thing,” said Hutchinson.
The fire was brought under control a few hours after it began and Kinney said it was too early to speculate on a possible cause.
The Wasaga Beach fire department was assisted by colleagues from five neighbouring communities.
The community is about 100 kms. north of Toronto at the south end of Georgian Bay.
Matt Whittley for The Toronto Star
A four-alarm fire destroyed part of downtown Wasaga Beach along the waterfront early on Nov. 30.
Nov 30, 2007 09:08 AM
Canadian Press
WASAGA BEACH, Ont. — A huge overnight fire charred much of one of Ontario’s summer tourist destinations in this Georgian Bay community.
A wind-whipped fire erupted at about 1 a.m. and destroyed several buildings along the town’s 14 km. beachfront. Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Mark Kinney said the street mall area in the east end of the beach suffered significant damage.
“That pedestrian mall area is anywhere from about 50 to 70 per cent destroyed or very, very, very damaged,” Kinney said.
Lauren Thompson of the Wasaga Beach fire department said there were no reported injuries.One reason is that many of the structures had been closed for the winter and did not contain any residents.
“None of the businesses are open in the winter,” said Michelle Kahle of the Little General Convenience Store.
“There are only summer businesses — clothing stores, souvenir shops, an arcade and a couple of restaurants,” she said.
John Hutchinson, who owns the Dyconia Resort, says the fire may actually help the town spruce up the beachfront strip, where many of the structures were built in the 1930s and 40s.
“Everything was outdated there, so when insurance pays, they’ll have to rebuild and it’ll be nice stores going in there,” he said.
“It’s the same things that everybody is selling — T-shirts, bikinis, that type of thing,” said Hutchinson.
The fire was brought under control a few hours after it began and Kinney said it was too early to speculate on a possible cause.
The Wasaga Beach fire department was assisted by colleagues from five neighbouring communities.
The community is about 100 kms. north of Toronto at the south end of Georgian Bay.