Results for ‘Fires’
FARMHOUSE TWO MILES NORTH OF FONTHILL BURNED TO THE GROUND
[Welland Tribune, 24 February 1940]
Fonthill, Feb. 24-Believed to have been caused by a defective or overheated chimney the farm home of Alfred Misener, two miles north of Fonthill was burned to the ground on Friday afternoon. The loss was estimated at $2,500 partly insured.
The Fonthill fire brigade answered the alarm, but the blaze had gained considerable headway before their arrival, and without water the firemen were unable to render a great deal of assistance.
The blaze was discovered by a member of the family and the furniture in the lower part of the house was saved.
[Welland Tribune, 17 July 1885]
Fire-On Tuesday afternoon about five o’clock, Henry Cronmiller’s hotel. East of Air Line Junction, this township, was entirely destroyed by fire together with all contents. Mr. Cronmiller and Mr. Caleb Doan were at the hotel at the time. Smoke was seen issuing from the closet or wash room,__be confronted by the flames which had already gained considerable headway. They made a hard fight to subdue the fire, but the building was frame and burned quickly and soon was a total wreck. In an attempt to save the building, the furniture etc., was not removed, and the entire contents were consumed, involving a loss to probably over $2,000 besides some money and notes. No insurance.
MANY FIRES
[Welland Tribune, 22 October 1897]
Pelham seems to be having its share of fires just now:
A few weeks ago a small but not valuable tenant dwelling at Ridgeville, the property of George Townsend, was burned (uninsured), the tenant, Mr. Wellington, a poor man, losing considerable of his effects.
Then followed the W. J. Dougherty loss at Fonthill which has been already reported.
Thursday evening (Oct. 14) it seemed to be Fenwick’s turn for a misfortune, for that evening the sawmill there of Wm. J. Jennings, with its entire contents, went up in smoke. No insurance. Mr. Jennings places his loss at from $1500 to $2000. Besides the mill and machinery several thousand feet of lumber were burned.
Then, on Sunday afternoon last, the cry of fire was again heard in Ridgeville. This time the loss fell to Amos Roswell Dochstader, formerly the Robert Holditch homestead. The dwelling, which was one of the oldest landmarks of the locality, and which 30 or 40 years ago was widely known as Holdith’s Inn, and all the outbuildings –woodshed, two barns, stables and sheds, were totally consumed. When discovered the fire had had a defiant hold between the upper ceiling and the roof about one of the chimneys, and it is probable that the cause of fire may be traced to a defect in the chimney, which was very old, Mr. and Mrs. Holditch having themselves occupied the dwelling more than 50 years. About all the contents of the dwelling and outbuildings were saved except hay and feed. The loss will easily reach $1000, and it is said there is an insurance in the London Mutual of $800. The Tunnacliffe buildings immediately opposite were in great danger, and were on fire several times, but the vigilant work of the villagers saved them as well as Mrs. Ward’s dwelling and Brown’s blacksmith shop, which also were ignited.
Again on Monday night or early Tuesday morning of this week, Dr. Barker of Fenwick in making a midnight professional visit saw the barn of Benson Farr, Cream street, who lives 1 mile east of Fenwick, all ablaze. Quickly rousing Mr. Farr and his family from their slumbers, the doctor rushed to the burning building, but was unable to enter it, though he did succeed in liberating Mr. Farr’s cattle, which were in an enclosure adjoining the barn. Nothing whatever was saved from the barn and the loss covers, besides all Mr. Farr’s vehicles, implements, carpenter tools, produce & c., his horse and two nice porkers. There is an insurance in the Bertie & Willoughby Farmers Mutual, but it will only partially meet the loss. The cause of the fire is a mystery. At 7 o’clock Mr. Farr himself locked up the barn for the night; two or three hours after, some of his neighbors returning from church services at Fenwick saw the barn door open and a light within, but the fire did not break out till after midnight.
Serious Time for Lack of Water
[People’s Press, 19 January 1909]
Niagara Falls, Ont., Jan.17-Fire almost destroyed two residences here this morning and great difficulty was experienced in putting out the flames owing to the lack of water. Fire commenced in the house of Mr. Dobran and spread to the Sheppard residence next door. The fire was caused by Dobran applying a lighted torch to the water pipes, thinking they were frozen. Owing to the quantity of ice in the river there has been no water supply in this city from 7 o’clock last night to 12 o’clock today. The firemen fought the flames with pails of snow, and water was procured from a creek nearby by cutting through the ice with hatchets. Eventually the fire engine was sent up to the creek and the hose inserted under the ice and suction applied. The two houses were destroyed. The damage is estimated at $4,000.
[Welland Tribune, 8 January 1909]
Wellandport, Jan 7-Walter Wilson, who resides ¾ mile north of Wellandport, had the misfortune, at eleven o’clock this morning to have his barn and shed burned.
The barn was valued at $1,000-contents valued from $600 to $700. All the livestock was saved, but considerable damage was done to the grain, hay and seed. Loss estimated at from $1600 to $1700, only partially covered by insurance.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
By Mike Zettel
[Niagara this Week, 23 June 2011]
City firefighters are being commended for the more than 40 hours they spent battling a blaze early Saturday at the former Welland High School on West Main Street.
Police along with the Ontario Fire Marshal, are investigating the blaze and are asking anyone who took pictures or video in the area between the hours of 3:50 and 5 a.m. to submit them, as they could help in the investigation.
At around 3:50 a.m., fire, police and emergency medical officials arrived, finding the building engulfed n flames.
The neighbourhood around the school at 200 West Main St., was still filled with heavy smoke several hours after a fire broke out.
About 15 Welland homes were evacuated as a safety precaution and allowed to return to their homes later in the day.
In total, about 40 fire fighters and at one point every fire truck in Welland were on the scene where emergency workers worked over 40 hours to completely extinguish the blaze.
Welland fire chief Denys Prevost explained the blaze posed some difficulty because, with 12 buildings on the property, gaining access to the burning portions was at times difficult. Prevost pointed out that with cold air moving in, the billowing smoke hung low, flooding the area.
He noted luckily no one was inside the structure, as the buildings would have been quite dangerous for fire personal to enter.
“The guys were running strong all night until that call came in,” said Provost, commending his staff for battling the blaze during an already busy night.
The high school was unused for many years, and had become something of an eyesore, said Welland resident Julie James.
“I just feel so sad,” she said. “My mom went here. My husband went here. First, it sat empty all those years and turned into an eyesore and now this.”
There were no reports of injuries.
West Main Street between Niagara Street and Prince Charles Drive was closed for the weekend, and people had been asked to avoid the area. Sunday’s Rose Parade was rerouted due to the closure.
A demolition company was called in to help fight the fire and Pinchin Environment was brought on scene Saturday to monitor air quality in the area.
“Thousands of residents were affected emotionally,” said Mayor Barry Sharpe during Tuesday’s council meeting. Sharpe commended fire staff for their efforts in battling the blaze and noted that the building will likely have to be completely demolished.
“I do share with many residents a sense of loss,” he added.
Also, the firm Pinchin Environmental has been contacted and was brought on scene Saturday to monitor air quality in the area. City officials are also monitoring water quality, as well. Fire crews were still on site Sunday resulting in a small detour of the Rose Festival Grand Parade found as portion of West Main Street was closed until Monday.
Whenever there’s a particularly high volume of water used, and the water supply is being pulled in a direction it doesn’t normally flow, there’s a possibility of disruption of sediment in the system.
Any residents who experience discoloration in their water are advised to call public works and ask for the Water Quality Division to have someone come out to test the water.
[July 15, 2021]
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Constructed in 1855, the Welland House Hotel was well-known for its natural salt spring waters and exclusive clientele. It was destroyed by fire on Monday July 15, 2021 cause as yet unknown. |
[Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 25 April 1931]
Building Owned by Welland Cartage Company While Animals Belonged to Atkins Bakery-Truck, Hay and Harness Also Lost-Fire Presents Brigade With Stiff Three Hour Fight-Plant of Atherton Woodworking Company Saved Only Through Fine Work of Firemen.
Fire shortly after midnight destroyed on old barn on Division street, owned by George Smith of the Welland Cartage company, burned two valuable horses to death, destroyed a large quantity of hay and several sets of harness owned by Ernest Atkins, baker, and also destroyed a truck, valued at $750, owned by Mr. Smith, the total monetary loss being around $1,250.
The horses were owned by Mr. Atkins, and were valued around $400. The plant of the Atherton Woodworking company, which was but 10 feet away from the roaring furnace, was saved only through the courageous and energetic work of the fire brigade _of the company. James H. Atherton believed the fire brigade should be heartily commended. The blaze lasted three hours, and for more than two hour occasioned for the firemen the hardest and at times the most dangerous work. Cause of the fire is believed by Mr. Smith, proprietor of the Welland Cartage Company, and owner of the barn, to have been a lighted cigarette left in the hay loft by hoboes. There was no insurance on any of the horses.
William Spark, who resides on Division street, noticed the blaze. Only partly clad he rushed to the barn, and hoped to effect a rescue of the horses, but the inside of the structure was a roaring furnace, and it was impossible to do anything. He rang fire alarm 41. At about the same time two young men in an automobile on Division street, James Beals and a friend, noticed the fire, and they rushed their car to Central fire hall in the belief it would be quicker to do that than to pull the alarm, according to the narrative given to The Tribune. The moment they reached the fire hall the hooter rang out.
The fire brigade responded immediately with Assistant Fire Chief Joseph C. MacMillan in charge. In all 33 fire fighters participated and 12 lengths of hose were used. The Central fire hall pumper and hose and ladder truck also accompanied the men in the blaze. Mr. Atkins and Mr. Atherton were both present during the course of the fire and they informed the Tribune that the two horses were dead, before anything could be done to rescue them from their dreadful position.
The barn was an ancient frame structure valued at approximately $500, and about five years ago Mr. Smith had two garages built on as an annex……..
[People’s Press, 1 May 1900]
The frame residence and grocery owned and occupied by Mrs. Charles Bullock at Cook’s Mills was totally destroyed by fire last Saturday afternoon. The fire is supposed to have caught from a spark from the chimney falling on the roof. The contents, both the residence and shop, including even clothing, etc., were all burned except a barrel of coal, oil, which was got out. There was a slight insurance -$250-on the building.
[Welland Tribune, 22 March 1904]
Mr. J.A. Stalker received word on Saturday that the inquest over the explosion of the Chicago Toy Novelty Co.’s plant in Chicago, exonerated the proprietors from all blame.
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