Northern Bruce Peninsula Fire Chief Jack Burt said the cause of a fire that broke out in the old Colonel Clarke Tavern is under investigation. He said firefighters were called to the scene on Friday, December 13 at 11 p.m.
"The cause is still under investigation and we're trying to determine the origin, cause and circumstances of the fire," he said.
He added that whether the fire can be deemed suspicious is part of the ongoing investigation.
Burt said that the building had been converted into a residence about ten years ago, and had currently been serving as a seasonal residence. He confirmed that no one was inside at the time of the fire.
Burt said the fire took around 12 hours to put out.
"It [was] a pretty stubborn fire and it has a very large footprint, that building. It has a steel roof on it and the steel roof caved in on the building itself. [It] trapped the fire underneath and then we had to fight the fire in order to get to the seat of the fire, and then we had to remove all the steel off it in order to get at the seat of the fire to put it out," he said.
Burt said that the fire spread to the surrounding trees at one point, but firefighters were able to contain it to the property.
Burt estimated the cost of the damage at around $1.5 million. He added that the fire serves as a reminder about fire safety.
"A fire like this, this time of year, highlights the importance of working smoke alarms in the home," he said. "We ask everybody to make sure that their smoke alarms work and that they plan and practice a home escape plan."
This story was written by Julia DeJong, an intern with Blackburn Media.