Fire causes estimated $10k in damage at Memorial Centre barn
As many Kingstonians were settling down for the night, firefighters with Kingston Fire and Rescue were rushing to the Memorial Centre in downtown Kingston after a fire broke out in one of the barns on the property.
The fire started just before 10 p.m. on Thursday, Jul. 14, 2022. Five trucks from Kingston Fire and Rescue were dispatched when the incident was called in to emergency services. Frontenac Paramedic Services also attended as a precautionary measure.
Thick smoke was already filling the air in the Williamsville District by the time firefighters arrived on scene. Fire services closed off York Street between Nelson and Alfred Streets as crews worked to take down the blaze.
“On arrival, fire crews proceeded to the E.E. Bennett Barn as flames were visible from the north and west side of the building,” Ted Posadowski, Chief Fire Prevention Officer for Kingston Fire and Rescue, relayed in an email.
Fire crews were able to knock down the fire, resulting in increased smoke as the flames were extinguished. After monitoring for hotspots and ensuring the building was structurally sound, all Kingston Fire and Rescue personnel had departed the scene before 11 p.m. The fire damage was contained to the north/west side of the barn, Posadowski said.
City of Kingston staff are on site today, Friday, Jul. 15, 2022, restoring building services. The estimated cost of the damage incurred due to the fire is $10,000, according to the local fire department.
According to Posadowski, no one was injured in the fire, the cause of which remains under investigation. Although Kingston Police were not called in to assist in the fire investigation at the time of the fire, Kingston Fire and Rescue is asking anyone who may have information on the incident to contact Kingston Police (613-549-4660 – callers can remain anonymous by dialing ext. 0 and asking to remain anonymous) or Kingston Fire and Rescue (613-548-4001).
The barns at the Memorial Centre have seen their fair share of fires over the years, with the most recent taking place in November of 2021.
Kingstonist will provide updates if/when more information becomes available.