Dozens of boats crushed after storage facility collapses

Boats damaged after storage collapses Crews are cleaning up after a building collapse in Rosseau. Mike Walker reports.

Crews are slowly removing damaged boats crushed underneath twisted metal after a site storage building for Muskoka Lakes Marine collapsed earlier this month.

The damage is extensive. There were approximately 70 boats stored at the facility for the winter. The storage building on Highway 141 in Rosseau collapsed sometime in the early morning hours on March 12.

The owner, Michael Smith, told CTV News there was a load of heavy snow on the roof, but couldn’t confirm if that was a factor.

The investigation into the cause has only just begun.

The marina has notified the clients, mostly cottagers.

Smith told CTV News on Wednesday, “We’re contacting the boat owners who are affected, and we’re asking them to contact their insurance companies, and we’re trying to keep communication as proactive as possible as we learn ongoing information.”

The damage to each boat is assessed as they are removed.

Engineers are also on site working with demolition crews to look for any insight into what caused the collapse.