Fire guts camp

Firefighters were unable to save a camp near Chippewa Park destroyed in a major blaze.

Thunder Bay Fire Services responded to the fire call at the camp on Grand Point Road at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Firefighters arrived on the scene and found the building completely engulfed in flames.

Five fire crews fought the fire and by 11 a.m. smoke continued to spill out of from broken windows. The area had no fire hydrants nearby so firefighters had to shuttle water from hydrants at Chippewa Park.

Fire Chief John Hay said a backhoe would tear down the building so inspectors could find the cause of the fire.

"We’ll be here for a couple of hours until the building is safe enough for our inspectors to have a look," Hay said.

Hay said someone passing by the house likely made the 911 call.

"I don’t think there is a lot of people living out here right now," Hay said. "That’s probably why the fire was advanced before we could get here. The fire was something we couldn’t venture in to."

Hay added that Thunder Bay Police Services is looking to speak with the owner, who has not yet been located.

Firefighters say they still don’t know if anyone was inside the camp that was destroyed by a fire.