Turtleford, Sask., grain elevator fire called 'huge loss'

As people sift through the rubble in the town ofTurtleford, Sask.,officials are saying the massive fire at the corner of Main Street and Highway 26could have been worse.

Although the blaze Tuesdaynight destroyed the grain elevator,no one was hurt.

Fire crews from Turtleford, St. Walburg and Glaslyn 32 members in all worked through the night to prevent the fire from spreading.

According to officials on the Turtleford Facebookpage, for a while there was concern the fire could spread to the local Co-op grocery store.

Crews poured water on a number of structures nearby.

Instead, the elevator collapsed in on itself and the fire didn't spread.

However, the elevator isa landmark in the community of 525, located about 90kilometres northwest of North Battleford.

"Losing the grain elevator is a huge loss to the town as it was the final connection to the railway," a post on the town's Facebook page says.

Mixed with the shock of the loss, however, was the pride in how the disaster was handled.

"We are incredibly proud of the response of our local volunteer fire department," the post said.

"These ladies and gentlemen are well trained and prepared for incidents such as this, as much as we hope to avoid such devastation."

There's no word yet on the cause of the fire.