The flames were so intense from a fire early Thursday morning in Hanover that neighbor Lisa Schnittker began grabbing her belongings to evacuate, fearing the flames would spread to her home.
“It was horrible. Accidents from the explosion of torque converters. People come from everywhere. It was so scary, “she said.
The flames did not reach her home, so Schnittker took his camera and filmed the epic and tragic destruction of two downtown buildings, a home for two businesses, and The Forum, with more than 50 tenants fleeing nothing more than clothes on their backs.
“A lot of people have lost their homes and everything they own,” Schnittker said.
One of the destroyed businesses is the Fabulous Fashions Consignment boutique. Owner Sue Tipper was not allowed back to save anything, and today she will watch her livelihood turn into ruins.
Many buildings were destroyed when a large fire broke out in Hanover, Ont. in the early morning hours of May 19, 2022 (Source: Lisa Schnittker)
“I put everything I had in this store. Everything, “she said.
The demolition of these buildings in the city center, which were more than a century old, will leave a huge hole in the center of Hanover, without a real sense of when and whether they will be restored.
“It was devastating for the whole of Hanover. As you can see, this is a 100-year-old building that has just burned down, “said Hanover resident Evelyn Smith.
The Ontario Fire Department is on the scene trying to determine if the fire started on purpose or not. City officials hope the demolition will be completed long enough this weekend to reopen Main Street on Monday.
“Memories come and people share. “It’s one of the ways to listen to each other and try to heal a little bit because it’s a shock to the community,” said Hanover Mayor Sue Patterson.
Assistance is provided to the many displaced residents at Grace United Church and the P and H Center in Hanover.
Hanover has declared a state of emergency after the fire, which will probably be lifted at some point next week.
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