Animals and a barn belonging to Admaston/Bromley Deputy Mayor Brian Hamilton and his wife Lorraine were lost to fire on evening of Monday, Jan. 8. Lorraine said it was about 8:40 p.m. when she looked out the window and saw smoke coming from the barn at their farm on Barr Line in Admaston/Bromley Township. “I opened the door and could hear crackling and then I saw flames coming out the end of the barn,” said Lorraine. “I yelled to my husband to call 911.” The side of the barn was on fire and by the time firefighters arrived, the building was fully engulfed. Lost in the blaze were 14 rabbits (Lorraine runs a rabbit agility, therapy and 4-H programs) as well as her son’s two pigs, two beef calves and a llama. “All the other animals – our sheep and he had another steer – were outside. My son was able to get them out of the barnyard, he opened the gate and they ran down the field,” said Lorraine. They are understandably heartbroken over the loss of the animals and the structure, an 80-100-year old heritage barn. “I really loved my pet animals,” she said. “And I really loved my barn, I took really good care of it and people often commented on how nice it was.” And while they are certainly feeling the impact of the loss, the Hamiltons have found a number of reasons to be grateful. The situation could have been much worse, said Lorraine. “We are heartbroken but also realize that it could have been a lot worse. The weather last night was very, very good for the firefighters to be out, it was a calm night with very little wind,” she said, noting if the fire had happened during tonight’s expected blizzard, it would be a different story. Two buildings that adjoined the barn were saved and the fire didn’t get too close to the house. And the offers to help are pouring in and came almost immediately. “We live in a great community. Farmers came with their cattle trailers in case there were animals that needed to be moved. We’ve had lots of texts and messages and phone calls and people driving in and offering to help with clean up,” said Lorraine. The remaining animals have shelter from the storm, are fed and the focus right now is getting water to them in the barnyard, after the hydro and water to the farmyard were shut off during the fire.
“I would like to thank both the Whitewater and Douglas fire departments, and all those who have offered to help,” said Lorraine. Admaston/Bromley Coun. Angela Field, a neighbour, fellow farmer and Interim Member Services Representative of the Renfrew chapter of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said the Hamiltons are a very well-known, well-respected and well-liked part of the farming community. “They are very, very generous with their time and their expertise in all aspects of the community,” said Field. “They’re very proud supporters of 4-H and youth in ag and that sort of thing. I’m sure the community is going to be there for them to lean on in the coming days.” Losing a barn and particularly animals to fire is something no farmer wants to experience. “We’ve seen so many go through it and it’s shock,” said Field. “How could this happen, it’s why did this happen and of course, for any farmer who has livestock, whether it’s five animals or you have 500 animals, your heart just aches for the ones that you lost.”
(Written by Sherry Haaima)