A fire at a laundromat delayed the start of the Kincardine Scottish Festival and cancelled the event’s parade Saturday morning.
Just after 10 a.m., organizers announced the massed pipe band parade slated to begin at 11 a.m. had been cancelled and the opening of the gates at Victoria Park was being delayed as emergency services extinguished a fire in a laundromat on Durham Market Square South, directly behind the main stage. Transportation to the venue via shuttle bus was also paused.
Kincardine Fire and Emergency Services (KFES) firefighters from the Kincardine and Tiverton stations were called to the fire at 330 Durham Market Square S. at 6:40 a.m., according to a town news release.
No injuries were reported.
Neighbouring homes and Victoria Park were evacuated due to heavy smoke resulting in the postponement of the Kincardine Scottish Festival and Highland Games.
“The fire was challenging due to the construction of the building and origin of the fire, but by 12:30 p.m. crews had the situation under control and the Kincardine Scottish Festival and Highland Games events in Victoria Park could resume,” the town’s release said.
Firefighters from the Ripley station of the Huron-Kinloss Fire and Emergency Services, and the Port Elgin station from the Saugeen Shores Fire Department also responded throuhg mutual aid. Their support included four additional fire apparatus including Saugeen Shores’ aerial truck. In total, there 34 firefighters on scene..
South Bruce Ontario Provincial Police Bruce County Emergency Medical Services and an excavator from Kempton Construction also provided support.
Crews do not consider the cause of the fire to be suspicious, with investigation continuing this week. Damages are estimated at $2.5 million.
Emergency services closed Queen Street and Princes Street at each end of Durham Market and, as of noon, smoke could still be seen coming from the roof of the laundromat building.
Despite the smoke-filled air, attendees wandered the streets surrounding the park, watching emergency crews work and listening to pipe bands as they practiced ahead of the piping competition. The heavy athletics competition was held as scheduled at nearby Robinson Park.