Several volunteer and career firefighters responded to a major fire Monday evening at the corner of Highway 17 and Ronka Road in Beaver Lake. The building was totally destroyed in a fire officials say is suspicious and has been turned over to police and the Ontario Fire Marshal. Sudbury deputy fire chief Jesse Oshell said Tuesday that the building was a former general store and gas station that had been renovated several times over the years, including for residential use. In addition, the site is far from a water source and required fire services to call in five water tankers from around the area. Several walls had to be torn down to access burning areas and to ensure the safety of the firefighters from the seven stations that responded. The fire was called in around 6 p.m. Monday and was declared out around midnight. The building is a total loss, with the damage estimated at around $500,000. One person has been displaced, Oshell added, but there were no injuries.
