Fire Causes Damage At Historic Canadian Site
Posted August 23, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Several buildings at the national historic site of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons near Midland, Ont. suffered damage when the blaze broke out Tuesday night.
According to a published report, officials with Huronia Historic Parks said about three historical reconstructed buildings, containing reconstructed furniture, were either completely or partially damaged.
The flames erupted around 8:30pm and the six fire trucks and 55 firefighters that responded to the scene managed to put out the blaze.
Officials believe the fire broke out in the blacksmith’s shop and spread to other buildings. The reconstructed Jesuit village has been temporarily closed until safety issues are cleared up.
The historic gem was Ontario’s first European settlement and was the headquarters for the Jesuit mission to the Wendat Huron nation.
The settlement was constructed in 1639, but the inhabitants were forced to flee a decade later due to Iroquois attacks. They torched the area and established a new home on Christian Island.
