The cause of the Oct. 31 fire at Mundell Lumber here remains unclear, as does the financial loss resulting from the blaze.
But one thing is certain: the destruction of the old mill and office building there is a huge loss for the site – and the town.
“The historical value of it is what will be missed,” Fire Chief Dan Callaghan told the Advertiser as he watched firefighters continue to douse the remains of the historic mill at about 9am.
Firefighters responded at 2:30am to a large fire at the business, which has long been a mainstay in downtown Erin.
By the time the fire department arrived, the mill at the rear of the Main Street Rona storefront was fully engulfed by flames, which some people said could be seen from Hillsburgh.
Seven trucks and 34 firefighters from both the Erin and Hillsburgh stations, battled the blaze for two hours. They managed to get it under control and prevent it from spreading, but the 1840 mill was destroyed. Two nearby trucks owned by the business were also severely damaged.
Firefighters remained on the scene all day on Oct. 31 to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.
As of Nov. 4 there was still no estimate on the financial loss of the building, which in addition to the mill and antique equipment, also housed lumberyard offices.
“At this time the cause is unknown,” Callaghan said.
He explained the Fire Marshal’s office has conducted an investigation but has not yet provided a lot of information.
Mundell Lumber employee Darren Short said people were talking about the fire at a local coffee shop before he arrived at work for his shift on Oct. 31.
But it wasn’t until he arrived at the scene that he realized the extent of the damage.
“I saw the smoke and thought, ‘Okay, it’s not a little fire,’” said Short.
He explained a handful of lumberyard employees, including himself, worked in the upper-level offices in the building. Short said it was not surprising the building went up in flames quickly, considering its age and all the wood inside it.
He too, bemoaned the loss of the old mill, which he said was one of the last able-to-function mills of its kind in the province.
“It’s definitely a historical building,” said Short. “It’s sad to see it go.”
Wellington County OPP are asking anyone with information regarding the fire to call 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
