FLOOD WATERS AND HIGH WINDS ‘CHALLENGE’ FIGHTING FIRE ON FRANKLIN ISLAND TUESDAY MORNING THAT LEVELLED MUSKOKA LAKES COTTAGE

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

MUSKOKA LAKES — A “challenging” fire Tuesday morning levelled a cottage on Franklin Island.

Seventeen firefighters from the Port Carling, Bala, Walkers Point and Milford Bay stations had to be ferried from Mortimer’s Point Marina after the call came in a 6:30 a.m.

And three of their marine units (boat and two dinghys) were used to transport firefighters and heavy equipment.

Franklin Island is on Lake Muskoka northeast of Bala and near Acton Island.

When crews got there they found the cottage fully engulfed in flames destroying the seasonal residence assessed at $2 million.

Fire Chief Ryan Murrell said the total damage will exceed that with the content.

He said no cause has been determined.

“It was early, but too late,” he told MuskokaTODAY.com.

“The operation was a true test of skill and coordination,” the Muskoka Lakes Fire Department said in post.

The said treacherous access from flood debris and submerged docks made landing difficult.

Severe weather conditions including high winds threatened to spread the blaze into the surrounding forest.

Despite the hurdles, crews successfully saved a nearby boathouse and stopped a resulting wildfire from spreading across the island.

Finally after seven hours on the scene, the fire was fully extinguished.

And there were no injuries reported and nobody was living there at the time.

A fire investigation into the cause is ongoing.

The blaze follows another cottage fire last Thursday that destroyed a cottage in Minett.

The chief said the department is busy “running around putting out fires” they haven’t had time to recruit a shortage of firefighters.

Ryan Farley, manager of East Bay Marina, posted these two photos, above and below in the comments section of a MLFD social media post calling the fire “A very sad day.”

The fire department ferried 17 firefighters from four stations across Muskoka Lake from Mortimer’s Point Marina. PHOTO MLFD
High winds and lingering flood waters hampered efforts to reach Franklin Island as they also had to take heavy equipment. PHOTO MLFD
Franklin Island is northeast of Bala and just east of Acton Island in Muskoka Lakes Township.

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