GORE BAY—Members of the Gore Bay Volunteer Fire Department are praising two persons for saving the Split Rail Brewing/Finnia Chocolate Cacao building from a fire that took place June 16.
“It could have been really bad,” stated Gore Bay Fire Chief Mike Addison. “When staff arrived at the business early to open up (Split Rail) they could smell something burning. They called the fire department to investigate and were able to put the fire out with fire extinguishers.”
“There was the potential of the entire loss of the entire building if the two people had not been there in the building that day,” stated Duncan Sinclair, deputy fire chief. “The fire was caused by an electrical issue, and fortunately they were there, smelt smoke and used the fire extinguishers to knock the flames down.” He pointed out the fire department had been called to the scene of the fire at 10 am.
Mr. Addison confirmed the fire started in the building electrical room. “When our firefighters arrived on the scene, we made sure the power in the building was out, everyone was safe, opened the back door and used a fan to ventilate the building.”
“The two staff members probably saved the building,” said Mr. Addison. The two included Shirley De Roche, Split Rail’s assistant general manager, and Ricardo Buchanan of R&R Eats and Treats.
Andrea Smith, co-owner of Split Rail said in an email to The Expositor, “On behalf of everyone at Split Rail we express immense gratitude to Shirley De Roche, Split Rail’s assistant general manager and Ricardo Buchanan of R&R Eats and Treats for their exceptional response to an electrical fire at Split Rail on Sunday, June 16 at 10 am.”
“First and foremost, we are profoundly thankful that nobody was injured,” wrote Ms. Smith. “We also feel fortunate that damage was kept to a minimum. These outcomes, zero injuries and minimal damage to property and equipment, are very much due to Shirley’s quick thinking and skilled interventions,” continued Ms. Smith. “While the fire was small, it was not insignificant in terms of damage to the electrical infrastructure that supports Split Rail’s glycol system. Glycol keeps beer at precise and required temperatures for fermentation and aging. It is an essential part of the beer making process. Having this system down in peak season is a significant challenge. That said, the situation could have been much worse, so we are focused on the positives and repairs.”
“In addition to Shirley and Ricardo, Split Rail thanks the Gore Bay volunteer firefighters for their quick attendance to the brewery on Father’s Day,” said Ms. Smith. “We also thank Ontario Hydro for their involvement in shutting off the power to ensure everyone’s safety. Thanks are also due to Bob Foster and Dave Hall for their prompt assistance. There are many others owed thanks including Jeff Gilmore and Manitoulin Transport, our landlord for their ongoing assistance, and our co-located friends at Finnia Chocolate and Cacao. We have received overwhelming offers of assistance and support which softens this setback and motivates us all. We hope to have our production systems up and running again soon. Until then our fridges are well stocked. Thank you all for supporting small businesses!”
