What was lost - and found - after devastating Brantford club fire
A remarkable discovery was made Thursday at the scene of a devastating fire that destroyed a Brantford club.
Pieces of memorabilia were pulled from the ashes of the fire that tore through the Army Navy & Air Force Club.
The discovery came just as investigators prepared to get down to business to search for a cause.
The blaze gutted the Army Navy and Airforce Club Unit 341, an institution that has been around for more than 60 years.Days after flames ripped through three units of the Mohawk Plaza, the club is still coming to terms with the loss.
“We’re thinking right now of solely trying to recover our valuables and artifacts,” said Logan Webb, president of the Army Navy & Air Force Club.
But not all was lost.
On Thursday, firefighters located a helmet from the 1900’s and a piece of trench art at the edge of the debris.
Webb said it’s hard to accept the fact that a lot of irreplaceable memorabilia is gone forever.
“We had medals from WW1 from members, WW2, Korea and our wall of honour of all the members who have been part of our lives, for part of our history since 1959, it’s all gone,” he said.
“Pictures, documents, our charter, all those people that signed our charter have passed away now,” said Mary Eileen Webb, president of the ladies auxiliary.
The club has been in the building for almost 65 years and is now turning to the community for support. A GoFundMe has been set up to help offset the costs.
“It’s going to be a long road ahead financially for us and being a not-for-profit veterans club, every dollar we had went into the advocacy for veterans and for the continued health of our facility,” Webb explained.
Brantford Fire officials said the investigation into the cause of the fire was delayed due to hot spots that continued to smolder late into Wednesday evening. On Thursday, investigators were on site clearing debris with heavy equipment.
The investigation remains ongoing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Justin Trudeau championed free trade in Southeast Asia, but he may get ousted before his efforts pay off
The free trade agreement with ASEAN is expected to be signed at the end of 2025. If Trudeau is pressured to step down, or if his government falls and loses the next election, Trudeau will not, as prime minister, be there to see the fruits of his labour.
He told his mother there was 'no way' he'd meet someone in Australia. Then he fell in love at first sight
Mike Grossman was adamant he wasn’t going to fall for anyone in Australia.
5 things not to say to a grieving friend
It’s almost impossible to know what to say to someone in the throes of grief. We all want to say something comforting. Very few of us know what that is.
Liberals announce new campaign director amid new push to oust Trudeau
The Liberal Party has named Andrew Bevan as its new national campaign director for the next federal election. The announcement comes as party continues to face lagging polls and as party leader Justin Trudeau is facing new pressure to step aside.
Man, 37, stabbed and killed on Montreal metro platform
A man died of his injuries after an altercation that escalated on a platform at Guy-Concordia station on Saturday night.
‘I didn’t do this to just run’: Canadian hip hop artist runs 100 marathons in 100 days for men’s mental health
Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the “proudest accomplishment” of his entire life.
Here's the dirt on the germiest items in your day-to-day life
Your home – considered to be one of the safest havens from all the external stresses – is filthy.
'Headspin hole': Man develops scalp tumor after decades of breakdancing
Researchers in Denmark have published a case report revealing an unexpected consequence of one of breakdancing's most iconic moves: the headspin.
'Our story is incomplete:' Famed dino hunter reflects on the history of paleontology
Canada’s famed dinosaur hunter and one of the inspirations for the "Jurassic Park" phenomenon turned 75 earlier this year and has no plans to drop his chisel and rock hammer.