This was the scene in the city of Kingston, Ontario as fire ripped through an unfinished downtown apartment complex yesterday

http://rstorage.filemobile.com/storage/17343260/1085

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtzKEW7rubg

A worker who was atop the crane, was eventually rescued by a helicopter that flew in from the airbase at CFB Trenton.  The fire has since been put out, and thanakfully no lives were lost, but with the damage it did, has left the crane in danger of falling over which could potentially cause more fires. 

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/engineers-in-kingston-ont-concerned-fire-damaged-crane-could-collapse-1.1598570

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91EuGkL-GUg


I've lived in this city since 1984 and I can honestly say this is the biggest tragedy to hit here. 

Wow!!!!

I saw that in the news. Huge fire!
Thank goodness no lives were lost.

Could you see this from your home?

It looks bad, but hope it is not too serious

I cannot see it from where I live, but I was just down there now to see what it looked like, and the fire is completely out.  The buildings around it, it looks like they've sprayed white foam on them to prevent further fires from starting.  The crane looked like it's tilting.

The morning the fire took place, I was actually in that area coming back from a visit to the hospital.  I drove right past the building that eventually caught fire and everything looked normal at the time.  I never would have thought a tragedy would take place.  I get home, and it's all over facebook, pictures of the fire.  There's a comic book store and a giant tiger store in that area, which I almost stopped at, but I decided not to because I realized I am broke.  There were pictures of cars that had caught  fire in the area.  That could have been my car had I of stopped.  I never thought that being broke could save my life and my car's life

Is there any word yet on how this happened?

Not yet no.  They are still investigating. 
The structure was made completely of wood, so all it would take really is someone walking past who threw a cigarette butt away

I cannot see it from where I live, but I was just down there now to see what it looked like, and the fire is completely out.  The buildings around it, it looks like they've sprayed white foam on them to prevent further fires from starting.  The crane looked like it's tilting.

The morning the fire took place, I was actually in that area coming back from a visit to the hospital.  I drove right past the building that eventually caught fire and everything looked normal at the time.  I never would have thought a tragedy would take place.  I get home, and it's all over facebook, pictures of the fire.  There's a comic book store and a giant tiger store in that area, which I almost stopped at, but I decided not to because I realized I am broke.  There were pictures of cars that had caught  fire in the area.  That could have been my car had I of stopped.  I never thought that being broke could save my life and my car's life


A frightful experience, really glad you were broke...and that you are OK.

Thanks. 

This city may not be out of the woods yet.  The weather forecast calls for freezing rain and ice pellets over the next few days, and the weight of that on the crane could cause it to come down. 

There is a gas station directly across the street.  I hope the city can disassemble the crane before the weather forces it down

http://www.ckwstv.com/2013/12/19/crane-could-come-down-friday/

Please do keep us posted. This looks rather scary (for lack of a better word).

Thanks. 

This city may not be out of the woods yet.  The weather forecast calls for freezing rain and ice pellets over the next few days, and the weight of that on the crane could cause it to come down. 

There is a gas station directly across the street.  I hope the city can disassemble the crane before the weather forces it down

http://www.ckwstv.com/2013/12/19/crane-could-come-down-friday/


I hope they will pull it down in time before the freezing rain/ice comes.
I wonder if Don Cherry (who is from Kingston) will talk about it on coaches corner on Saturday night?

Awesome flames there.  Looks like fodder for a Gordon Lightfoot ballad.

I think I saw something about it on TV. I agree, SCARY! I'm so thankful everyone made it out alright.

The guy that was atop the crane suffered alot of burns, and he is recovering in the hospital.  The flames eventually reached higher than where he would have been sitting.  He was lucky to have been able to crawl to the end of the crane.  It just looks like something out of a movie.  They have revealed the fire started in the 4th floor.  I am still in shock how quickly this fire came to be.  I had just driven past that building not even moments before, and the area looked normal.  I just cannot believe it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5MwNA1nsHE

UPDATE:  Crane has been safely dismantled.  The building that caught fire is now almost an empty lot.  The buildings that were across the street however won't ever look the same, atleast not for a while. 

The fire caused over $30 million dollars worth of damage, and it is still not known the cause of it. 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1528689_734887419873554_149263026_n.jpg

I think I'm desensitized to big fires in unoccupied structures.  For a great long while the cities of Holyoke and Springfield down the river had empty houses and buildings burning nightly, sometimes multiple fires in a night, because crackheads fall asleep with barrel fires burning.
:o