PASS LAKE, Ont. — Already distressed by the destruction of their community church and gathering place to an early-morning fire, residents of Pass Lake are left to worry that they also may have lost their historical records.
Documents collected by the Pass Lake Historical Society, going back to the 1920s when Danish settlers arrived in the area 50 km east of Thunder Bay, were stored in the basement.
Pass Lake fire chief Brendan Grant said firefighters did their best to preserve the section of the building where they believe the records were held, but wouldn't know until late Tuesday whether they had succeeded.
The volunteer fire team received the alarm at 4:30 in the morning, and called for assistance from Shuniah Fire & Emergency Services.
"When we arrived on the scene, the 90-year-old sanctuary was pretty well collapsed, and fire had spread to the more modern addition and collapsed the roof," Grant told Tbnewswatch.
He said the crew worked to limit further spread and was able to at least retain the integrity of the walls and floor of the dining hall, "but the whole building is a 100 per cent write-off."
The damage is so extensive, there is little chance of finding any evidence of the cause of the fire.
As a result, the Ontario Fire Marshal's office has already labelled it "undetermined."
Grant described the loss of Salem Lutheran Church and its attached hall as devastating for the Pass Lake area.
For parishioners and non-parishioners alike, he said, it was a place not just for weddings and funerals but also for community events such as celebrations and potlucks.
"This particular church was built by the pioneers who were settling Pass Lake through the 1920s. They made it a priority in those early, early years to create a gathering place as they carved their farms out of the bush," Grant said.
He said the church was carefully maintained over the years, and just recently received new roofing and hardwood flooring.
"It continued to be the heart of the community. This is going to be just a huge blow to us," he said.
Even if it's rebuilt, Grant said, "There's something that won't be the same as coming to the candlelight service on Christmas to an almost 100-year-old church that's been the key structure of the community."
In recent years, the church had become a lay-led ministry.
Two visiting pastors would deliver monthly sermons, but in the weeks between, members of the congregation took turns leading Sunday worship services.
