Smiths Falls’ Costello and Company Monuments destroyed by fire

Numerous Lanark County fire departments responded to a significant fire on Monday, July 23 at Costello and Company Monuments.

“The fire was very, very fast-moving,” Drummond North Elmsley-Tay Valley Fire Rescue’s Megan Moore explained to Lanarkist on behalf of Fire Chief Greg Saunders. “There was total fire involvement throughout the building when we arrived there, so basically it wasn’t just getting ramped up – it was well on the way.”

The fire closed a portion of Highway 43 in Port Elmsley for much of Monday afternoon.

Firefighters arrived on scene just after 1 p.m., and were able to knock the blaze down after about seven hours, Moore said. Drummond North Elmsley-Tay Valley Fire Rescue took the lead, and were assisted by the Smiths Falls Fire Department, the Montague Fire Department, the Beckwith Fire Department, the Mississippi Mills Fire Department and the Perth Fire Department. The Carleton Place Fire Department remained on standby in Smiths Falls. The Ontario Provincial Police and Lanark County paramedics also assisted in the response.

Thankfully, there were no injuries, Moore said.

She explained that because of the “significant dollar loss,” the Ontario Fire Marshal will be conducting an investigation into the matter. “The exact amount [of the loss] is still under investigation, Moore noted.

Lanarkist will continue to follow this story, and provide updates as they are made available.