CALEB NICKERSON
OTTER LAKE Sept. 11, 2019
Just before midnight on Sept. 11, fire crews in Otter Lake were called out to a home on chemin lac de la Ferme in Otter Lake that was completely engulfed . . .
in flames. The owner of the home, Ronnie Richard, was in the Hull Hospital at the time of the blaze, and lost all his possessions, according to his family.
“He lost everything in that fire,” said Richard’s sister-in-law Darlene Sparling. “He’s just devastated.”
Sparling said that the 77-year-old Richard has been recovering from complications due to a stroke, and his wheelchair and pet cat were lost in the flames.
His nephew Greg Sparling said that Richard built the house in 1969, adjacent to several family members on the street. He worked as the custodian at Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School for many years before he retired.
“It’s total devastation,” Greg said. “He lived all his life up there … Every possession he ever had was in that house.”
Greg’s girlfriend, Emma Lamb, started a Gofundme page has already raised nearly $800 for Richard, and can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/otter-lake-fire?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
Otter Lake Chief Denis Chausse said that his crews got the call at 11:26 p.m. and were on scene within 12 minutes, as the home was close to the fire station. He said they immediately called for backup from Thorne, who responded with an additional two trucks and six men. In total, 19 firefighters responded, and they had the blaze under control by 12:15 a.m. on Sept. 12.
Chausse said that the neighbouring houses were very close, and the crews had to hose down the hedges and shrubbery in between them to prevent the fire from spreading. The home was gutted, but the neighbouring homes emerged unscathed.
Chausse said that the cause has not been determined and said it began in the bedroom above the garage. It is not being treated as suspicious.
