Fire Guts Downtown Ontonagon
Ontonagon - August 31, 2008

Streets that just 12 hours earlier  filled with classic cars and hundreds of spectators are now filled with flames, smoke and water sprays. From celebration to tragedy in just 12 hours.

At 5:00 AM Ontonagon residents were awaken by a long loud siren signaling that a fire had broken out. Within a short while fire firefighters from Carp Lake and Silver City would join the Ontonagon Fireman already battling the blaze threatening the entire downtown area.

photo above by Linda Graham .
6:00 AM Fire as seen from across the Ontonagon River.  Photo by Linda Graham
Hours later fire response teams from at least six or seven other communities would also be battling the fire.
Photo above - by Linda Graham
Firemen man the hoses as several Pumper Trucks bring water from the river.
Left with just the clothes on their back and their kitty, Brad Hapner and Tauna Evers lost everything they owned to the fire which destroyed their second floor apartment.   Wally Potter and Pam Potter owners of Bottom Line Bookkeeping lost their building to the fire. Latest estimate is that six buildings are destroyed by the fire and several others have severe smoke and water damage. 
At 7:00AM the fire had jumped the street and embers threatened Camp One. Above - Firefighters climb topside to take control of east side  of the street.

 

 

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