[MSN] Canada. Museum fire. A suspicious blaze destroyed Stonewall's sole museum early yesterday morning as flames levelled the building and its tower while reducing priceless artifacts to rubble.

[Museum Security Network Mailing list]

November 12, 2007 

Museum burns'Devastating' loss for Stonewall 
By JOYANNE PURSAGA, SUN MEDIA

A suspicious blaze destroyed Stonewall's sole museum early yesterday morning
as flames levelled the building and its tower while reducing priceless
artifacts to rubble. 

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish said the Stonewall Quarry Park
interpretive centre, a local landmark, burned to the ground. Stonewall RCMP
and the provincial Office of the Fire Commissioner are investigating. 

"Unless ruled otherwise, it's considered a suspicious fire," she said. "It's
quite a loss." 

Emergency crews responded to the blaze just before 2 a.m. but the flames
quickly spread throughout the largely wooden structure, said Stonewall
resident Del Phillips, whose house is separated from the interpretive centre
by a parking lot. 

"It brought back memories of watching the (World Trade Center) twin towers
burn and collapse. There were flames up to 30-feet (9 metres) at the least,"
he said. "This, to my kids, was like a backyard. I have no doubt it's going
to be missed very much." 

Todd Kozokowsky, chief of the Stonewall-Rockwood fire department, said the
blaze caused up to $2.5 million damage to the structure and destroyed
another $3 million in contents. 

"Unfortunately, it was a total loss. We managed to pull some artifacts out,
but they were already damaged by the fire," he said. 

Kozokowsky noted rain and wind helped prevent the flames from spreading to
six nearby homes and it appears no one was inside the building when it
caught fire. 

Quarry Park manager Catherine Precourt, whose office was devoured by the
smoke and flames, said the interpretive centre is pretty much gone. 

Engulfed in flames 

"It doesn't look like we'll be able to salvage anything, really," she said.
"By the time the fire department got there the building was pretty well
engulfed in flames." 

Precourt echoed residents who said the building had become a community
staple since it was built in 1984. 

"This was pretty much the museum, the heritage site for Stonewall," she
said. 

Stonewall Mayor Ross Thompson called the blaze a "devastating" loss for the
town and nearby communities. 

Council just recently constructed a $200,000-walkway between the structure
and its parking lot, with the centre expected to play a key role in the
town's centennial celebrations next year. 

Thompson said it also played host to viewing tours and various events that
earned thousands of dollars for the town. 

"To see it lying there in a twisted pile of metal is just heartbreaking,"
said Thompson, adding word the blaze may be the work of an arsonist is
spreading through town. 

"It will be a long time to get over this one, especially if it was senseless
vandalism that caused it."

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