DRYDEN, Ont. — Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry waterbombing aircraft were called out Sunday to help Wabigoon, Oxdrift and Dryden firefighters deal with a structural fire, but they were unable to save a former tourist lodge.
The former Thunder Lake Lodge, a two-storey structure on East Thunder Lake Road just east of Dryden, was destroyed.
No one was hurt.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Wabigoon fire department's fire prevention officer, Richard Wetelainen, told Tbnewswatch the lodge had recently been renovated by new owners who planned to re-open it as a bed and breakfast operation.
"They had left to get some supplies early in the morning. A friend drove by and noticed smoke and fire, and called the Wabigoon fire department. We have reviewed a bunch of things but there is no definitive cause at this point."
Wetelainen described the structure as "a total loss," adding that a vehicle was also destroyed.
Dryden fire chief Ryan Murrell says his department provided mutual assistance after being alerted to the fire at about 1:00 PM.
"When we got there it was fully involved," Murrell said.
"We had the MNR above us because they were concerned about the bush. When I got the chance to take command, I asked that they continue to apply water from above until we got our water set up at the lakeside, and they did," he said.
MNRF spokesperson Chris Marchand said two CL-415 aircraft were returning from a forest fire when they were re-routed to assist with the lodge fire, to try to limit its spread into the surrounding forest.
The two airtankers made a total of 57 drops on the fire.
Marchand noted that there are a number of homes in the vicinity, as well as the Aaron Park campground.
