WELLAND HIGH GOES UP IN FLAMES

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.