A firefighter works to put out hotspots on a Tilley Trail property off Horseshoe Lake Road on Monday Aug. 5. The Minden Hills Fire Department got the call at around 3:30 p.m. The Haliburton Fire Department attended to provide assistance. The cause of the fire isn't yet known. /JENN WATT Staff Couple thankful for support following house fire
By Jenn Watt
Sharon
and Rob Luke were on their dock enjoying the hot afternoon sun on
holiday Monday when a man in a boat pulled up in front of them.
and Rob Luke were on their dock enjoying the hot afternoon sun on
holiday Monday when a man in a boat pulled up in front of them.
“He’s
looking at us really strange and he says ‘I think your house is on
fire,’” Sharon Luke said. “We went, what? We turned around and looked
and saw all this big, black billowing smoke just belching out from
behind the roofline.”
looking at us really strange and he says ‘I think your house is on
fire,’” Sharon Luke said. “We went, what? We turned around and looked
and saw all this big, black billowing smoke just belching out from
behind the roofline.”
They
ran up to the house to see what they could do, but Sharon said it was
too hot and smoky to salvage much. She picked up her laptop and
cellphone, which were on the back deck.
ran up to the house to see what they could do, but Sharon said it was
too hot and smoky to salvage much. She picked up her laptop and
cellphone, which were on the back deck.
“We ended up standing over on a neighbour’s property, just watching everything burn,” she said.
The
Minden Hills Fire Department received a call at around 3:30 p.m. on
Aug. 5 that the house, which was on Tilley Trail off of Horseshoe Lake
Road, was on fire.
Minden Hills Fire Department received a call at around 3:30 p.m. on
Aug. 5 that the house, which was on Tilley Trail off of Horseshoe Lake
Road, was on fire.
Fire
chief Mike Bekking said when they arrived, fire had engulfed the
structure, spreading to some trees. Mutual aid was requested from the
Haliburton Fire Department, which sent eight firefighters to join the 10
from Minden.
chief Mike Bekking said when they arrived, fire had engulfed the
structure, spreading to some trees. Mutual aid was requested from the
Haliburton Fire Department, which sent eight firefighters to join the 10
from Minden.
Bekking
said they worked first to contain the blaze, so it wouldn’t spread to
the neighbours’ properties and surrounding trees, and then they turned
their attention to putting out the hotspots.
said they worked first to contain the blaze, so it wouldn’t spread to
the neighbours’ properties and surrounding trees, and then they turned
their attention to putting out the hotspots.
Sharon
Luke praised the fire department, saying they arrived quickly and she
was grateful they stopped the flames from spreading to her neighbours’
houses.
Luke praised the fire department, saying they arrived quickly and she
was grateful they stopped the flames from spreading to her neighbours’
houses.
The
couple lost vehicles, a garage, pontoon boat, and their home in the
fire. While some things can be replaced, others cannot including recent
and historical family photos and memorabilia.
couple lost vehicles, a garage, pontoon boat, and their home in the
fire. While some things can be replaced, others cannot including recent
and historical family photos and memorabilia.
“I
have all the information on Ancestry [website]. So, the data is there,
but like my grandmother’s nursing certificate from the 1920s, her
marriage certificate. All of those nice things, you know? It’s all
gone,” Sharon said.
have all the information on Ancestry [website]. So, the data is there,
but like my grandmother’s nursing certificate from the 1920s, her
marriage certificate. All of those nice things, you know? It’s all
gone,” Sharon said.
Rob Luke built the house in 1981 with the couple putting an addition on in 1991.
“He
watched 38 years go up in smoke,” Sharon said of her husband. “He built
the house and we did the addition together. He did all the construction
and everything himself.”
The Lukes are currently living in a fifth wheel trailer, but may have to find other accommodations.
“He
watched 38 years go up in smoke,” Sharon said of her husband. “He built
the house and we did the addition together. He did all the construction
and everything himself.”
The Lukes are currently living in a fifth wheel trailer, but may have to find other accommodations.
“We
intend to rebuild, but how long that’s going to take, I don’t know,”
Sharon said. “We may end up having to hunt for an apartment or a place
to stay. The fifth wheel is good as long as the weather’s good. But it’s
not a permanent housing situation.”
intend to rebuild, but how long that’s going to take, I don’t know,”
Sharon said. “We may end up having to hunt for an apartment or a place
to stay. The fifth wheel is good as long as the weather’s good. But it’s
not a permanent housing situation.”
Rob
and Sharon were the only ones at the house at the time of the fire and
are both OK. Sharon went to the hospital to be checked after breathing
in smoke, but is fine, she said. Their cat, which was missing on Monday,
was found and is being boarded in Minden.
and Sharon were the only ones at the house at the time of the fire and
are both OK. Sharon went to the hospital to be checked after breathing
in smoke, but is fine, she said. Their cat, which was missing on Monday,
was found and is being boarded in Minden.
Sharon said the community has been generous with donations and supportive of the family.
“People
have been amazing because really everybody is so warm-hearted and
everybody really steps up and lets you know you’re cared about and
sometimes you don’t know what to say, but you really appreciate the
sentiment,” she said.
“A heartfelt thank you to everybody.”
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