Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Fire at Camp

The Salvation Army Camp, just north of Montreal, that I attended as a kid, while my parents ran the show, then as a camper, then as a lifeguard and last summer completing the circle of life, with my wife and kids, has had a major fire.

I can remember staying there from about age 4. Now Darcy has those same memories. I know that ground like my own backyard. The Titcombe's have been a main stay name there for a long time. In fact my Dad was a lifeguard there, then my sister, older brother, then me, then my younger brother. I'm not sure what they would have done for about ten years if we hadn't been on the beach!

It's still WAY too early to know what happened, or what will happen this summer. One article speculates at arson. The video mentions electrical faults and accidental ignition. Nothing has been confirmed. My source tells me that the power was shut off.

Here's a photo as it should be remembered:

Basically, everything to the left of the middle chimney is gone. That was the kitchen, staff area and food storage. To the right of the middle chimney is the dining area, it sounds like there is some damage, but it's too early to tell if anything is salvageable.

Here's what it looks like now.


5 comments:

Christina said...

I was SO sad to see this in the newspaper (Montreal Gazette), then I found a video of it burning. My heart is just sick. I have SO many memories of L'Achigan. I really feel like I 'grew up' there.

It's so hard to be optimistic, but I guess we have to trust that God still has great plans for L'Achigan, and that many more lives will be affected the way your family's and mine were.

Melissa said...

Hey Nick,
This is just so sad. There are so many memories here. Old ones and now new ones from last summer.

I am looking forward to hearing what Ray and Curtis (and DHQ) are going to do. I will keep you posted if they e-mail Dana and I.
Mel

Anonymous said...

Awesome picture Nick of the "old" dining-room...probably the best I ever saw. I really hope they can come up with a plan and still run camp this summer. It will be a shock to see that part of camp gone though.

Yvette said...

Heartbreaking. I don't know the place personally, but I know how much it meant to the Titcombe clan. Hard to lose a place that holds so many memories.

Shelley said...

Oh no, this is so sad.