People look on as those with the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal, Greater Napanee Emergency Services (GNES), and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) carry out an investigation on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, into the fire that ravaged a home on Graham Street the night before. Photo by Cris Vilela/Kingstonist.
A substantial residential fire saw a flurry of activity in central Napanee Saturday night, with firefighters working well into the morning hours.
On the night of Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, multiple residents in the Town of Greater Napanee called 911 to report a structure fire on Graham Street. Just after 10:30 p.m. that night, Greater Napanee Fire Services responded to those calls, attending the residence where flames were visible. Crews from all three fire stations in Napanee responded to the blaze, as did Lennox and Addington (L&A) Paramedic Services, and eventually the L&A County detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Luckily, the paramedics weren’t needed, as the homeowners were away at the time the fire broke out, according to Deputy Fire Chief James Feeney.
“We were there until around 5 a.m. Sunday morning,” Deputy Chief Feeney told Kingstonist on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024.
While six-and-a-half hours might seem like a long time for firefighters to be on scene, Feeney said it is not uncommon for residential fires to require many hours of work, particularly when they are older homes. The fire itself was extinguished by 2 a.m., Feeney said, but Greater Napanee Emergency Services (GNES) remained on scene, monitoring for hot spots to ensure no flareups occurred, the deputy chief explained.
The investigation into the fire was turned over to the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal (OFM), and although the investigation has now concluded, Feeney was unable to disclose the OFM’s findings. Kingstonist has reached out to the OFM.
Feeney did not say why the OFM was called in to investigate.
OFM and GNES on scene.
The stains on the red brick show where smoke escaped the structure during the fire.
GNES Fire Prevention and the OPP on scene.
The damages to the Graham Street home are extensive, but GNES is releasing no details on the investigation into the fire, as the investigation was carried out by the OFM.All photos by Cris Vilela/Kingstonist.
The deputy chief did say, however, that no injuries were sustained due to the fire (including injuries to firefighters).
“Sadly, there was a family pet that died as a result of the fire,” Feeney said, expressing that GNES firefighters always do their very best to ensure all people and pets are rescued from residential fires if possible.
“There was no risk to the public at any time,” he added.
Kingstonist has also reached out to the OPP to find out why they were called in to assist with the situation and any further details they might be able to disclose.
Response from the OFM or the OPP was not received by time of publication.
This article will be updated if/when more information becomes available.
