Town deals with destruction

Assiniboia - Seven people are homeless and 37 out of work after Assiniboia's Franklin Hotel and Great West Auto Electric burned to the ground Tuesday morning.
"It's gone, completely gone. There's nothing left. Everybody is just trying to get over the shock of it," said Judi Robertson of the Moose Jaw Red Cross.
The Franklin Hotel and Bar was the oldest building in Assiniboia, a town of 2,300. It was built in 1913 and originally known as the El Prado Hotel.
Nearby vehicles were scorched by the flames and the windows of neighbouring businesses cracked and exploded from the intense heat.
The fire was reported at 2:23 a.m. to the Assiniboia RCMP and Assiniboia Fire Department. Firefighters battled the blaze more than four hours.
Kim Eklund arrived at the scene around 3:30 a.m. She is the town administrator but previously worked at the hotel for 17 years.
"Flames were coming out of the roof of the Franklin. It was completely engulfed," said Eklund.
Later, fire crews from Mossbank and Willow Bunch arrived to help fight the stubborn blaze.
Graham Harvey was boarding up the windows of his business when he saw the fire spread.
"It was so cold the hoses were freezing to the ground," Harvey said.
He said the fire looked like it was out at approximately 6 a.m. when it suddenly spread to the Great West Auto Electric building. Harvey heard acetylene cylinders popping like fireworks as the fire chewed through the building.
A few firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation. According to Harvey, it could have been worse.
"The wind was blowing from the southwest. If it had been going the other way . . . I'm just speaking hypothetically, but the whole block would be gone," Harvey said.
Emergency responders evacuated a one-block radius around the fire. Seven people lived in the hotel, including the owner, his sister and the cook and his parents. Local groups, including the Red Cross, are providing food, aid and shelter.

Matthew Barton can be reached at 691-1258.

Willa: - September 18th, 2009 at 17:43:26

My first 'real' job, I worked as a waitress in the Franklin's restaurant and got great training from Ruby Lecaine. That's 41 years ago. Lots of good memories.

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Chuck: - September 18th, 2009 at 17:40:09

It is sad to hear of another building with the history and great memories destroyed in small town Saskatchewan. The more important thing thou is that no one was killed. It was a building can be some what replaced people cant.

Amanda: - September 18th, 2009 at 17:31:23

OMG I really do miss the franklin, I hope the jackson is o.k. It is so sad i know the old owner isn't so happy it has been in his family forever......i hope they can rebuilt it soon but the time that we spend there woundn't be forgotton RIP FRANKLIN 1912 to 2008 :(:(

Nikki: - September 18th, 2009 at 17:10:06

It was a great place to socialize when going back to town on holidays. A lot of history gone. Thankfully no one was hurt.

Bob: - September 18th, 2009 at 16:56:50

It's rough that the Franklin is now a pile of charcoal and ashes. I'm certain that there are few buildings in SK that have seen as many celebratory coffees and beers, but everyone needs to remember that what made the Franklin persist, what made it great, was not the wood and wiring and cheap chairs. It was the community that filled it, the farmers who ordered field lunches from it, etc. If that community is as strong as I have seen it, we all have little to worry about, and the hotel will rise again.

Bob: - September 18th, 2009 at 16:42:49

mike: - September 18th, 2009 at 16:42:32

i used to work at that building, i now work just a little over a block away, it is sad to see that those people no longer have work and even worse no home now.

i do not think people really know just what it takes to preserve a old building like that, i know that building had older wiring in it, it takes allot of money to make sure they will be here for another 100 years, more than the owners can afford to put into them. i know that.

i feel sorry for the owners i was good friends with them when i worked there.

i hope they can at least rebuild something there in its place by summer. franklin 2.0 .lol

Mark: - September 18th, 2009 at 16:38:03

Great Memories can only replace the historic Franklin Hotel now and that no one was injured in the blaze and let's not forget the good work by our volunteer fire fighters from Assiniboia and surrounding towns who battled the blaze in the frigid tempatures and wind.

Christina: - September 18th, 2009 at 16:23:45

I could hardly believe the news when I heard what had happened. The Franklin was a great meeting place for friends, family and co-workers. It held great poker nights and other events that enriched the community. It will be sadly missed.

Jess: - September 18th, 2009 at 16:14:46

This remembered me of the new years fire in Moose Jaw, I still remember sitting down on the Connor watching the flames from the building, drinking hot chocolate form 7-11... sad that a building with so much history, can be gone in a matter of hours.