Old Marina Restaurant patron applauds quick-thinking staff during fire

Jane McKenzie was sitting down for a birthday lunch on Saturday, July 31 when she was told to leave immediately and then ushered out of the Old Marina Restaurant.

She is among the last people who dined at the Puslinch establishment before fire gutted the building.

“The whole thing happened right in the middle of lunch,” said McKenzie.

She said she and her partner were among the diners in the packed restaurant when the fire broke out.

“It was just absolutely packed, and for people to get out so quickly and, so calmly. It could have been so much worse,” said McKenzie.

Everyone was able to make it out of the restaurant without serious injury.

Flames could be seen shooting from the windows, and smoke was visible from kilometres away.

Investigators believe the fire started in the basement and spread quickly.

The initial damage estimate is around $2 million, but officials say that will more than likely increase once they can get a better assessment.

“We were sitting at the back facing the lake, and we were actually taking a picture of Justin Bieber’s house, which we have been told is just on the other side of the lake, and that’s when the lady said we should leave,” said McKenzie.

Hours later, she learned how serious the fire actually was.

According to one supervisor, staff were so concentrated on getting everyone out safely, they lost a lot of their own personal items, including purses, car keys and wallets.

“We were completely oblivious to the danger we were all in. Who knows what might have happened if they hadn't reacted the way they did,” said McKenzie.

JOBS LOST

With the restaurant reduced to rubble, Old Marina Restaurant employees are now looking for jobs.

Thanks to the generosity of some restaurants, the employees might not be out of work for too long.

“I've been through that before, waking up and not knowing when you’re going to go back to work, so I just though that if we could help them, we would definitely find a place for them until they were able to return,” said Sheri Fritzey, State & Main Guelph general manager.

Others are looking to raise money to help the employees get back on their feet.

Cambridge neighbours, Jacob Ginson and William Coyle have started a lemonade stand to help out the people who work at the Old Marina Restaurant. (Krista Sharpe/CTV News Kitchener)

Two 11-year-old Cambridge neighbours, Jacob Ginson and William Coyle, have started a lemonade stand to help out the people who work at the marina.

“[it’s] to help out the people who work at the marina,” said Coyle.

So far the two have raised almost a thousand dollars.

“[It’s] money so they can get groceries and stuff,” said Ginson.

The boys plan to keep their lemonade stand open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

Their lemonade stand is in Mulberry Drive in Cambridge, and they hope to raise as much money as possible.

Ginson's  family has property in the lake and both boys are a big fan of the restaurant.