Three days after the Old Marina restaurant was destroyed by fire, investigators are still unable to enter the ruins of the building on the shores of Lake Puslinch to find out how it happened.
On Tuesday, investigators told CTV News that the building was completely destroyed and the damage was close to two million dollars.
“This is for [the] just a building, we’re not assessing business damage and things like that,” said Tom Mulvey, Puslinch Fire Chief.
Firefighters were first called at around 12.45pm on Saturday 31 July.
Flames could be seen from the windows, filling the sky with smoke. The fire reduced the building to ruins. It is considered a total loss.
Officials say it is still too dangerous to enter the ruins of the burned restaurant, and due to the extensive damage, an investigation into the cause of the fire has not yet begun.
No one was injured in the fire. Commenters online credited restaurant staff for getting everyone out safely.
Heavy equipment will be needed to dismantle the building so the investigation can continue.
“The building had a metal roof and everything that was outside the building collapsed into the basement; so there’s a large amount of debris in the basement of the building and we believe that’s where the source of the fire is,” Mulvey said. “When they start removing that metal roof and some other debris, that will maybe reveal the area of origin.”
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) has been contacted but they say it has been decided to leave the investigation in the hands of officers in Puslinch.
Old Marina restaurant on Lake Puslinch in fire. (Twitter: @brent_bullough) (July 30, 2022)
Nearby resident Larry Hackbarth visited the site to see the damage. He says lunch at the Old Marina restaurant many years ago was what sold him and his wife when they moved to the area.
“[On Saturday] I came here and my heart sank,” Hackbarth said. “Our hearts are broken. It’s terrible. This building, these people are part of our family.”
Hackbarth says his wife’s celebration of life was held at the restaurant just a month ago.
“One of the staff that I’ve known for a while, when we saw each other, we just hugged each other and they both cried,” Hackbarth said. “It hurt. It still hurts.”
Mulvey warns people not to get too close to the charred remains.
“People were coming to look. They come and cross the fire lines and we cannot tolerate that. This is a dangerous building and we don’t want anyone to get hurt. We haven’t had any injuries yet and we don’t have any [want to] start now, Mulvey said.
A photo of the Old Marina restaurant shows what it used to be. (Courtesy/Old Marina Restaurant)
There are some indications through online fundraising that there are plans to rebuild the restaurant. They are not confirmed.
The Old Marina Restaurant and Gift House was built in 1993. It was destroyed by fire in 2005 before reopening in 2007.
The property on the shores of Lake Puslinch has almost a century of history. It was previously home to a dance hall and hotel at what is now the McClintock Water Ski School.
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