The Red Canoe Family Restaurant in South River is closed after an early morning fire tore through its contents and damaged its structure.
The South River Machar Fire Department received a call about a working structure fire on Highway 124 just after 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 7. The department responded with 12 firefighters, three pumpers and a heavy rescue truck aided by four firefighters and a pumper from Sundridge-Strong. There were no injuries, said Fire Chief Risto Maki, and while they don’t have a specific damage estimate, the blaze did major damage to the contents and the restaurant itself.
“Our trucks were on scene in seven minutes from the dial of 911 to the first pumper on scene, and we basically contained the fire to where it had been burning,” Maki said. “There was significant heat and smoke damage throughout the restaurant portion of the building, but we were able to prevent the spread into the attached Shell and convenience store part of the building.”
The fire department will continue to investigate the cause over the next few days, but no foul play or suspicious activity is suspected. The restaurant and the gas station are closed and taped off as fire authorities work to determine the source.
Maki said the crews did an excellent job and credited them with containing the flames quickly on arrival. The added crew from the Sundridge-Strong Volunteer Fire Department was provided through an automatic aid partnership between the fire services.
