Discovery Centre burns to the ground in Botwood

An abandoned building in the centreof Botwood burned to the ground Wednesday night.

The Discovery Centre, which was most recently used as an Adult Basic Education centre, was destroyed in a blaze that broke out at about 7 p.m.

Morray Callahan, assistant chief of the Botwood fire department, said their crew wassuccessful in limiting the spread of the fire.

"She was fully involved upon arrival," he said Wednesday evening. "We immediately went into a defensive mode...our biggest concern was the nearby buildings."

The bulk of the fire was contained as of 9 p.m. Wednesday, butCallahan said his department was readying for a long night on the scene.

Botwood Fire

8 years ago

Duration 0:46

A serious fire in the middle of Botwood attracted quite a crowd last night. The Discovery Centre caught fire shortly before 7:30 and was destroyed by the blaze.

'Everything was aflame'

Local resident Bethany Loveman said the fire broke out in the building on a main street in Botwood, close to the town's public library which she fearedmight also have been damaged.

"Everything was aflame, and smoke was just towering out of the building," she said Wednesday night from the scene.

"Right now I can see shingles and flankers just blowing across."

Loveman said nearly everyone in the town wastransfixed by the fire, which was located down the road froma warehouse that was flattened by firelastfall.

"There's cars everywhere, and there's about I'm going to saya good hundred to two hundred people stood up, as close as they can get."

The Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP detachment said they were also called to the fire, and would be assisting in the investigation.