'We were devastated': Early morning fire destroys shop at Puslinch Lake
No injuries were reported after a large structure fire on Puslinch Lake Friday morning.
Cambridge, Puslinch, and North Dumfries fire departments were called to a shop on McClintock Drive around 4 a.m.
Officials with the Cambridge Fire Deptartment said the fire was fully involved when crews arrived and they had to use a defensive strategy to put it out.
The Cambridge Fire Deptartment issued a tweet at 6:01 a.m. that said Lake Road is closed and are asking drivers to avoid the area.
Crews were at the scene on Friday morning tearing down what was left of the building.
A witness said it was used as an equipment shed.
“By 5:00 they probably had at least eight to 10 trucks here and the blaze was just skyrocketing. It was going crazy,” said Kevin Waugh, who lives nearby.
The property is owned by the McClintock family, who said they were devastated to hear about the fire from officials on Friday morning.
“What can I say we are heartbroken. It’s a huge loss for us,” said Sherron McClintock.
The McClintocks are currently in Florida. That's where they got the text message early in the morning.
"It said please call me a soon as you can as soon as you can. It’s an emergency,” said McClintock.
So far they've only seen the burned rubble in pictures.
“Total shock. Unbelief. And then, we were devastated, because we realized how much stuff was in there,” said McClintock.
They plan to talk to their insurance company about the loss.
“We want answers. But we don’t know when that’s going to happen,” McClintock said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
“They had heat and also electricity so they’re all things are going to look at,” said Brent Smith, the chief fire prevention officer with Puslinch Fire.
Damage is estimated at more than $400,000.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.