The Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating after a motel south of Parry Sound caught fire last night.
Dozens of people were forced to flee from their rooms at the Ell Mar Motel as flames lit up sky.
One person was hurt.
Today, as tenants and guests pick up the pieces, what caused the motel to catch fire last night is still under investigation. It left the motel in shambles: the roof has collapsed and nine rooms and the motel office are destroyed.
“It was very black, a lot smoke,” describes Tom Kingshott, who is today picking up what belongings he has left and is going back to Sudbury. Kingshott was sleeping when his room filled up with smoke.
“I grabbed a fire extinguisher, couldn't get it working and I just wanted to get out,” he says.
The fire happened just after 8:30 p.m. Friday, and started in one unit before intensifying quickly.
The flames forced guests and tenants to flee their rooms while others like Bahir Egeh risked their own lives to try and put it out.
“The blaze had gotten to a point where it was almost impossible to get near it. We tried to use fire extinguishers but by the time it was already too late,” he tells CTV News.
By the time fire crews arrived, several rooms were engulfed with flames. Every motel room was booked with about 30 guests, some staying long term and others just for the weekend. Everyone managed to escape but two people were treated at the hospital for minor injuries.
Today, investigators with the Ontario Fire Marshal's office were at the scene, sifting through the debris and speaking with witnesses. At this point the cause isn’t known.
“What we know is the fire appeared to start in the southeast corner of the building so at this point that's what we're looking into,” says Lance Schubert with the OFM.
The motel’s owners didn't want to comment on camera but tell CTV News this is a traumatic experience and they're relieved their guests weren’t seriously injured.
Some people were allowed to pick up their belongings, including construction worker Ridvan Isik, who considers himself one of the lucky ones.
“We were lucky the place where we were didn't catch fire,” he says, “but it's a pity the other building burned down.”
Egeh, meanwhile, is still waiting to see what can be salvage. He just started a summer internship in Parry Sound and doesn't know what will happen next.
“All my stuff is covered in soot, most of my belongings are almost unusable,” he says.
The fire marshal will be back at the motel tomorrow to continue the investigation. For now, the Salvation Army in Parry Sound is helping motel guests find other accommodations and to provide any necessities they may need.
