Fire breaks out in heritage building in Sarnia

Sarnia firefighters battled a fire Friday morning in an historic house on Christina Street that had been converted into offices in recent years.

Fire Chief Bryan Van Gaver said at the scene he expected the crews from four city fire stations would be at the site for much of the day

Van Gaver said there had been no injuries.

“This is very upsetting,” said Pam Raaymakers, who owned the building at 453 Christina St., N., for many years with her late husband Marty Raaymakers. “This is horribly sad.”

Marty Raaymakers was president and CEO of MIG Engineering for 34 years and the building at Christina and Maxwell streets had been the location of its offices.

“His entire heart was in this,” Pam Raaymakers.

Raaymakers said she sold the building last September to new owners who were planning to use it as offices for doctors.

“It is full of wood. . . brass lighting, it’s just beautiful,” Raaymakers said.

“This is just heartbreaking. What a monumental home to be gone.”

She said her husband’s office had been in a front corner of the building which has a distinctive turret. It was in an area of ​​the upper floor on which firefighters were concentrating their efforts.

The building’s new owners had invested heavily in the site, including installing an elevator, Raaymakers said.

According to the Sarnia Heritage Walking Tour, what is referred to as the SL McKay home dates back to 1908.

A fire investigator already had begun work as crews continued to fight the fire, Van Gaver said.

“We’ll be here all day,” he said.

The fire was coming from the attic and upper floor of the building at the corner of Christina and Maxwell streets, he said.

Firefighters were called there at about 7 am

“We’re still on scene dealing with hot spots,” Deputy Chief Ken Dwinnell said at about 11 am

“It’s an old building and it’s got heavy timber,” which can take some time to ensure the fire is completely extinguished, he said.

“Our investigator will start trying to shift through and figure out what the cause was,” he said.

“It efficiently all was up in the attic so the rest of the building may weather it OK,” Dwinnell said.

Sarnia Police said Christina Street was closed Friday morning from London Road to Nelson Street and asked drivers to avoid the area.

John Harris, who was taking photos while firefighters were at the site Friday, said he visited his grandmother in the building as a child in the 1970s when she lived in an apartment in the upper corner of the building where the turret is.

“It was a very stately home inside,” Harris said. “It had a big, grand staircase and also had a secondary staircase in the back.”

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