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Firefighters battle downtown Flin Flon blaze

Flames ripped through a beloved Main Street eatery Wednesday morning as firefighters worked to douse the blaze and prevent it from spreading.

Flames ripped through a beloved Main Street eatery Wednesday morning as firefighters worked to douse the blaze and prevent it from spreading.

About 30 City of Flin Flon and Hudbay firefighters spent four hours battling fire and smoke at Crepes N Grapes.

“It was fully [engulfed] by the time we got there,” said Flin Flon Fire Chief Jim Petrie, who called for assistance from Hudbay firefighters while on his way to Crepes N Grapes.

Petrie said flames and smoke were coming from the attic in both the front and the back of the building.

“It was a fully involved structure fire,” he said. “I saw the smoke before I even got there.”

Firefighters removed propane tanks from surrounding buildings. Petrie called both Flin Flon and Creighton RCMP for assistance as well as paramedics.

As a precaution, Petrie had a bulldozer on site if the fire were to get out of hand.

“We would have bulldozed the building next door to stop the progression of the fire,” he said. “But it didn’t happen and that’s fine by me.”

Watchers

Main Street and Church Street were lined with area residents watching as Crepes N Grapes burned.

“That was my favourite breakfast spot” was heard on many occasions from the estimated 100 people watching throughout the firefighters’ four-hour effort.

The sun and fire combined for hot working conditions. Some business owners and members of the two fire departments handed out bottles of water to keep the firefighters hydrated.

The Crepes N Grapes building included a restaurant in the lower level and living space above.

Upon arrival firefighters did a search of the building, located at 44 Main Street, but reported no persons inside. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters stayed outside to contain the fire due to the extreme hazards inside.

“The building was much too dangerous to enter,” said Petrie.

Guards

Guards remained on the scene after firefighters left to ensure public safety.

“The guards are there to make sure no one goes inside,” said Petrie. “It’s unsafe right now.”

As of press time yesterday, Petrie did not have an estimated cost of damage.

“But it’s going to be big,” he said.

The cause of the fire had not been declared, as Petrie was waiting on the Office of the Fire Commissioner.

Flin Flon firefighters were already responding to a report of a garage fire in Channing when the restaurant blaze was reported at 10:38 am.

Crepes N Grapes opened in January 2007. Years earlier the building housed the original Mugsy’s Deli.

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