Fire destroys Trout Lake home Updated

Fire Prevention Officer Randy Vezina says the investigation into Saturday’s fire at a home on Birch Cove Road has concluded and the cause of the blaze will remain undetermined.

“The 35 foot high brick chimney is ready to topple ruining the integrity of the buildings mortar. And the gable ends of the house are ready to collapse, making it unsafe to go in and do an origin and cause investigation.”

“Unlike other fires where we knock it down and have an opportunity to study burn patterns, everything collapsed into the room of origin and the clues are gone,” he explained.

Vezina says the Fire Marshal’s Office, originally called in due to the cost and extent of the damages, is satisfied the fire is not suspicious and will not attend the scene.

“After talking with the homeowner we are satisfied that the fire is not suspicious, and most likely started in the kitchen,” he says.

“And the damages are pegged at $450,000.”

No one was injured in the fire and Vezina says firefighters were able to recover a few documents for the resident before the building was levelled for clean up.

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Generators, hoses and walkie-talkies were all on full tilt Saturday afternoon as North Bay firefighters battled a house fire on Trout Lake just off Highway 17 East.

Firefighters were called at 3:07pm when He the owner arrived home to find his house on fire. Crews arrived on scene at 3:16pm to find the 1100 Birch Cove Road home fully involved. Firefighters battled the flames for the better part of three hours but the house is a total write off.

“The crew entered the first floor and discovered flames in one of the rooms. They knocked down the flames but it had already travelled up to the second floor and into the ceiling,” explains Fire Prevention Officer Randy Vezina.

“That is when they sounded the three horn blasts and evacuated the firefighters and moved into a defensive attack mode.”

No one was injured and although Vezina says the fire is not suspicious he has called in the Ontario Fire Marshall.

“Because it is unsafe for us to go in and do an origin and cause investigation I called in the OMF,” he says.

“And because the damage is hovering at or beyond the half million dollar mark we have to call in the OMF.”

Vezina credits Acting Platoon Chief Don Vincent and his crews for their quick action stating they were up against a hard one as he feels the fire had been burning for an extended period before they arrived.

Firefighters from the East Ferris Fire Department were also on hand to help battle the blaze. The investigation continues.