Ontario Fire Marshal probes Newington fire

Flames tear through this home on Fairground Drive in Newington, Ont. on Nov. 16, 2015. There were no reported injuries. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston)

LONG SAULT – An investigator from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office in Kingston has finished an investigation into a Newington fire on Monday night.

A two storey home at 16 Fairground Drive caught fire around 11:45 p.m. and the structure rapidly burned to the ground.

In an interview with Cornwall Newswatch Wednesday afternoon, South Stormont Fire Chief Gilles Crepeau said results of that probe have not been made available.

Crepeau said the official with the OFM wrapped up at the scene at 6 p.m. Tuesday night.

“Also the O.P.P. have been advised and are investigating and we are waiting for the report from the Fire Marshal’s office,” the chief said.

“The investigators, they ask a lot of questions of the firefighters on scene about different things on how the fire reacted and, they (the firefighters) answer the questions and then they (the OFM) do their analysis and testing and sampling…and determine whether the fire was suspicious or undetermined,” Crepeau said.

A report from the OFM has not come across his desk.

The chief was asked how the oil spill was connected to the Fairground Drive fire. “At this time I’m going to wait to release that information until the investigation (is complete),” he said.

But he did rule out the possibility of a heating oil spill or a heating oil tank rupture.

No use of water in Newington for at least another day

Crepeau said a do-not-use water advisory will be in place at least another day with Ministry of Environment water testing samples available tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon.

“We have not gotten any results from any samples yet, so the next 24 hours, the advisory is still on,” Crepeau said.

Bottled water can be picked up at the Newington fire station until 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) or you can call town hall to arrange a delivery.

Mayor Jim Bancroft also thanked Jen and Jamie of No Frills Cornwall for the donation of bottled water to the Newington residents. “Community spirit is alive and well in our region,” he said.

The home has been turned over to the owner.

The homeowners did have insurance, the chief said.

 

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