A Christmas Day fire at a cottage in Georgian Bay Township caused $1.2 million in damages.
The fire started just before 5:30 p.m. on King’s Farm Road in Georgian Bay Township.
"We were just getting ready for Christmas dinner when my mother heard a bang she went outside to see what it was and screamed the house is on fire,” said neighbour Nick Janssen.
Janssen says his family members called 911 as he jumped into action with other neighbours to fight the fire at a nearby bunk house with garden hoses.
The bunk house was more than 20 feet from the main cottage but neighbours say flames and hot embers were pushed by strong winds and there was nothing they could do to stop the fire from spreading.
“The wind wasn't blowing towards the cottage at first then it switched and jumped right to the cottage, the roof caught on fire and it went from there,” added Janssen.
Twenty Georgian Bay Township fire fighters arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire but damage to the cottage was extensive. Fire Chief Jim Boswell says the wind threatened to spread the fire further.
“We are up on the waterfront and it was coming at us from every direction at one time just swirling and holding the smoke down right of the ground, it was a difficult fire to fight.”
No one was home when the fire broke out and there were no injuries but the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office was called in to investigate because damages could be in excess of $1 million.
