Sudbury-area couple devastated after fire destroys their rural property

A Greater Sudbury couple is devastated after a fire broke out on their rural property two weeks ago causing extensive damage.

A Greater Sudbury couple is devastated after a fire broke out on their rural property two weeks ago causing extensive damage.

Maurice and Tracey Lalonde said no firefighters showed despite several 911 calls. Now, four outbuildings behind their century-old farm house are gone, including a garage and a gazebo.

“Absolutely I’m thinking help is on the way, I’m figuring the fire department would be called, I figured our local department, the Beaver Lake volunteer fire department, a lot of those people travel through my yard,” Maurice said.

“We have a snowmobile trail and they’re all locals and I was waiting for a snow machine to come riding up any second.”

But after several calls to 911, the help they sought never came.

The Lalonde property is rural and it sits on the other side of the Vermillion River. Police and ambulance made it across the river down nearby Wirtanen Road, but the couple never saw fire trucks.

Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell, who was on scene that night, said firetrucks were unable to reach the Lalonde home because of its rural location across the river. The road in the area isn’t maintained, which means firetrucks can’t safely drive on it.