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GODERICH – A community staple has been left in ruins after a fire in Watson’s Home Hardware.
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Goderich fire Chief Jeff Wormington confirmed that investigators have determined it was an electrical fire, ruling out arson as the cause of the blaze that claimed the store on Highway 21.
The fire was first reported by a passerby, who spotted smoke coming from the building just before 7 p.m. on May 25, followed by a second report from a nearby group of pickleball players.
Roughly 100 firefighters were on the scene throughout the 13 hours spent battling the blaze, with stations in Clinton, Blyth, Wingham, Bayfield, Zurich, Hensall, and Exeter responding to the call alongside Goderich fire department.
By the time the fire was extinguished, about $4 million in damage was caused, including about $2.5 million worth of the store’s inventory.
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“It is a total loss,” said Wormington. “It’s devastating.”
Though the building was destroyed, Wormington said there were no injuries reported. The fire chief said he was cautious with the first responders on scene because of similarities to a tragic 2011 fire at the Listowel Dollar Shop that claimed the lives of two firefighters.
“We tried to make entry off the start, but the heat was so severe. It was driving my guys onto their bellies, so they backed out,” said Wormington. “We just went a defensive tactic because of the design of the building.
“It brought back a lot of memories from the Listowel fire. I wasn’t going to put anybody’s life on the line.”
Wormington said the last fire of that size in the area was a 2023 blaze at Lakeside Flea and Farmers Market in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township, which completely destroyed the popular market.
The Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Huron County OPP were on the scene for days following the blaze as they investigated.
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