The Review
A woman living in a rented farmhouse in The Nation Municipality has died in a fire that destroyed the structure on Saturday, July 26.
According to The Nation Fire Chief Martin Rousseau, an individual driving by the house at 2624 Concession 20 noticed the fire and called 911 at 9:40 pm Saturday evening. The house was already completely engulfed in flames at that time.
A nearby resident, who wished to remain anonymous, could see the fire from her home on the next road. At first, she thought the distant flames were a large bonfire, but her nephew said it was much worse. They drove to the scene and found three individuals and two dogs outside. The neighbour and her nephew took them to her home.
According to the neighbour and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), another tenant had tried to rescue the tenant still inside, but the flames and smoke were too severe.
“Things were blowing up in the air,” the neighbour said about the fire scene.
The neighbour said that as she was leaving, fire trucks began to arrive, and she told the firefighters that the occupant of house was still inside.
Rousseau said firefighters from St-Isidore and Casselman firefighters responded and were at the scene until around 1 am Sunday morning.
He said it was a challenge for firefighters to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby barn and garage.
“We were luck we were able to limit the fire to its location,” he remarked.
On Monday, July 28, the OPP confirmed an individual, believed to be the 57-year-old missing tenant in the house, was located deceased on the premises.
The fire is not believed to be suspicious but remains under investigation by the Hawkesbury OPP Crime Unit and Office of the Fire Marshal, in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner.