A blaze has broken out at the Killarney Mountain Lodge, essentially burning it to the ground. The fire started at about 3:00am this morning, and the cause is still unknown.
The lodge is in the scenic Killarney channel close to the open waters of Georgian Bay, and it has been a popular vacation spot for tourists since the middle of the last century. Built in the 1940s by an American company, it was owned for over 50 years by Annabelle and Maury East, who raised their family in the small hamlet, located about an hour south of Sudbury. They retired and sold the property to Holden and Carey Rhodes of London, Ontario this past January, 2015.
Major renovations had just been completed, costing $18 million. The lodge was set to have a grand re-opening next month.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
UPDATE:
The new construction is what has been destroyed in the fire, not the main lodge. The fire was in a section that housed the guest rooms, with the $18 million renovations.
UPDATE #2:
One person has reportedly been injured in the fire, which is being described as the largest blaze to ever hit the small resort town. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze, limiting most of the damage to a newly constructed guest house and saving a number of nearby buildings, marina, boats and local general store.
Firefighters remain on the scene and the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office has been called in to investigate the cause of the fire.
(With files from: Roz Russell)
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