“It was the law that any able bodied person between 18 and 65 could be conscrpited for fire fighting duties.” – Harry Coates, Prince George, BC

“The fire was at a time when people were up there, and we were like, do they know?” Andrew Currie, Gravenhurst, ON

For fifteen years after a fire, the furniture store sat boarded and scorched until Brett Levitt’s father and a council took action.

“That was the closest thing to war I ever want to be in.” – Crissie Nash, Markdale, ON

“There was really no fire protection – they had one of those double pumpers – the horse-drawn pumpers.” – Charles Gillan, Pakenham, ON