Students of the Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall spent the night in a hotel after fire took their school Thursday night. The calls started coming in to the fire department from members of the public just after 6:30pm. Witnesses say it took firefighters less than five minutes to attend the scene but flames were already shooting out of the roof by the time they arrived.
Academy Director Gilles Lascelles is quoted as saying he believes the fire began in one of the student rooms but the cause is yet to be confirmed. Today is the final day of the term for the private hockey school, so they will have the summer to make decisions about their future.
No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, which was contained to the school building. A neighbouring seniors’ home was temporarily evacuated as a precaution.