The blaze that destroyed the Drenth family cottage on Trout Lake’s Hemlock Island, Monday, sparked news that suppression service was officially not available to property owners.
See: Cottage fire on Trout Lake island
“I was wondering when they were showing up,” said Graham Sangwin, who was notified about the fire from a friend who called from Anita Avenue in North Bay. Living on the east shore of Hemlock Island, Sangwin turned to the west and saw 100-foot flames over the treetops.
He grabbed his portable water pump and 150-foot hose to lend a hand. Even when two more cottagers showed up there wasn’t much they could do but try to soak adjacent trees and their roots so it wouldn’t spread. There are 42 cottages on the 73-acre island.
That’s when cottage owner Henry Drenth showed up.
“I got there at around 12:30 but it was pretty well gone by then,” Drenth told BayToday.
“The grandkids always loved that place,” he said, adding they’ve owned it for 33 years. “There are a lot of memories there.”
A cottage is engulfed in flames on Hemlock Island, East Ferris, just after noon Sept. 28, 2020. Jason McKnight PhotoWhile they put up an addition in 2003, it was an old, wood-frame three-bedroom structure with decking, which explains how quickly it went up.
Drenth was thankful nobody was there at the time or got hurt, noting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests responded to make sure it didn’t spread into the bush.
Fortunately, it’s been a wet fall and it had rained that morning, Sangwin said. With vacant lots on both sides of the fire, they had a bit more cushion than in other sections of the island.
Sangwin was part of a group attending meetings about 10 years ago over the East Ferris fire department and what help could be lent when a cottage goes up in flames. He knew they couldn’t rely on boatloads of firefighting volunteers rushing to the scene. But he thought they’d do something.
He did recall, as well, attending one of the fire department’s public open houses where they demonstrated how to use portable pumps and hoses.
East Ferris Fire Department received notice of the fire at 12:15 p.m., said fire chief Frank Loeffen, explaining there was little they could do.
“We don’t respond to the islands,” Loeffen said, admitting the limits of their service has been a point of contention for years. Safety of volunteers when crossing open or frozen water, he explained, plus the need for specialized equipment and training are among the factors preventing the provision of service. Meeting Ministry of Labour regulations are at the root of the concern, Loeffen added.
The decision was finally made to spell it out in a bylaw, he said.
When an island fire is reported, Loeffen said they advise the MNRF but added they’re limited as well.
Sangwin hadn’t heard about the East Ferris bylaw setting it in stone. His reaction was succinct: “I guess we’ll get a big break on our tax bill then.”
Drenth, a retired Bell Canada manager and North Bay Rotary Club member, said it’s unclear what may have started the fire. He was there on Sunday and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Someone said a squirrel can spark a fire if it gets at the wiring. Hydro One did show up after the fire to turn off the electricity.
Asked if it was difficult or expensive to insure due to the lack of fire suppression service, Drenth said he was able to get coverage that seemed reasonable. Sangwin also has acceptable coverage, although his hope of getting a discount for having a pump and hose was unfounded.
Drenth said he’ll have to meet with his insurance provider to look at options but said it’s not clear if the policy will cover the cost of replacement at today’s standards and prices.
“It might not be enough,” he said.
