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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-12-05, Page 182 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, December 28, 2r1 1 NEWS Marina shed fire, damages in the millions Barbara Simpson OMI Agency POIU' 1.AMBTON - A Lire that erupted 'Fut'sday morning at a St. Clair Township marina is expected to result in damage losses in the millions of dollars. 'there was at least one (intnd Bend owner and half a dozen Grand Bend boats in the near -by building. A storage building housing more than 65 boats and at least four vehicles was engulfed in flanges when firefighters from the Port Lambton and Becher stations arrived at St. Clair Boathouse at 7:15 a.m. Every available firefighter from the townships five stations were called to Old River Road to control the blare. A fire boat from (:lay 'Township, Michigan, also assisted. No one was caught in the storage build- ing and no injuries were immediately reported. Lulnbton OPP (:oast. Chrystal Jones said from the scene. Firefighters battled to prevent the blare from spreading to an adjacent storage building. 'Thick black smoke could he seen kilometres away, raising health con- cerns about toxic compounds release(( by the burning boats and other contents. A stay -in-place order was issued by the St. Clair 'Township fire department. It's Thyme To Say THANKS! May your year be filled with good times, good friends and good fortune. I thank you for your generous continued support and look forward to serving you again in the spring of 2012. $ Is 1 t'S m e SEASONAL. GIF 15 }'o w. DECOR Watch for our alt new & bright ideas fir Spring & Easter Jackie 54 Ontario St. S.. Grand Bend 519-238-5612 ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows: (ALL ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Friday @ 2:00 pm Office Hours: Mon. & Fri. - 8:00 ani - 4:00 pm Tues. - Thurs. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm 58 Ontario St. S, Grand Band PH: 519438-5383 Emel!• 1' > anoe4tbowes A fire that erupted Tuesday morning at a St. Clair Township marina is expected to result in damage losses In the millions of dollars. Residents were told to remain indoors, close windows and doors, and shut off furnace air intakes. Several boat owners arrived at the scene to snap photographs for insurance purposes, and other bystanders lined the roadway, some standing on flatbed trucks, to catch a letter view. Across the St. (:lair River in Michigan residents also gathered on the shoreline as black smoke rose high into the sky. "We have information that there are about 65 boats and four or five vehicles in that storage facility, so we are anticipating the damage to be in the millions of dollars," Jones said. Bernice Leslie's'lllesday morn- ing started off like any other. 'Ihe Port Lampton resident was on her front verandah, waiting to send her 16 -year-old son off 00 the WO school hits. "Everyone heard a big explosion — like a big propane explosion," she told'lhe Observer. "It blew the front doors off the shed:' The storage shed belonging to St. Clair Boat 1louse contained more than lis boats and at least tour vehicles, police said. Leslie said she saw a worker had who fortunately left the shed shortly before the explosion on the other side of the road. After the eruption, neighbour and Marina owner Steve Coop - man emerged frons his house and saw his business going up in smoke, she said. Leslie said seven years ago the Coopnlan tinnily lost everything in a devastating house fire. "'chat's the whole tragedy here," she said. Once on the scene, firefighters visited neighbours of the property to prepare them for the possibility of evacuation. Leslie said she and another neighbour had already shut down their furnaces to prevent toxic Watershed moment CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 1 County Federation of Agriculture representative, Joe Vermunt, was among the stakeholders at the event, which is a further boost to the Showcasing Water Innovation program. "We are excited to he leading this important and innovative work," says Ginn, noting 22 different partners will he focusing on five priority watershed projects, known as the Pine River sub watershed, North Shore sub watershed (Garvey Creek/Glenn Drain), North Bayfield (including Gully (:reek), the Main Bayfield watershed and the 1.amhton Shores tributaries in I.ambton County. Ginn adds the end result of the project will he improved water quality, and the creation of strate- gies that will reduce erosion and flooding. Alec Scott, ABCA's water and planning project manager, reports the project, which is Jed by the initiative's predecessor, the 1,ake I luron Southeast smoke from entering thein' homes. "it's awful" she said. "You can taste the fibreglass." The Ontario Ministry of the Environment also was also on scene to monitor the smoke and ensure water used to fight the fire was properly 'managed, said spokesperson Kate Jordan. The runoff was expected to be contained and not contaminate the surrounding enviR)nnlent, she said. "We did notify the drinking water plant that's downstream from the tire, and the local health unit, so that's just as it precaution so they can monitor their intake\ as needed," she said. People averts asked to avoid th, area and obey road block sign, diverting traffic from Old Rive! Road. The cause of the lire is still unknown. The investigation continues. Shore Working (croup, originally sought $0880,00) in funding for the program that will wrap ftp to 201.1. Scott reports a lot of the groundwork is already in place for the projects, many of which have already been taken on by Conservation ,luthoritie. and their stakeholders. While the funding is not anticipated to create any new jobs, Scott says the funding will facilitate further work in areas where both conservation authorities and environmentalists have alread\ been working together. "Part of it is the communities are interested, which is a big thing;" he says. As part of Thursday's celebration, AIWA staff also encouraged members of the public to check out a new web site dedicated to water quality at www. 1 iealthyLakeliuron.ca