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An iconic grain elevator in Saskatchewan has been reduced to rubble.
The grain elevator in Rouleau, located roughly 50 kilometres southwest of Regina, burst into flames early Friday morning.
Jecey Buburuz lives in the area. He dialled 911 not long after 2 a.m. when he saw the raging blaze.
“I went downstairs to get a glass of water after waking up. I smelled smoke, I looked outside and saw an orange glow off in the distance,” he said. “I looked out my back window and saw the grain elevator on fire.
“I jumped in my vehicle to go check and see what was going on. It looked like it had been on fire for a little while. The fire trucks were just arriving when I showed up.”
According to Buburuz, it didn’t take long for the fire to decimate the elevator.
“Within an hour and a half to two hours, it was pretty much gone right to the ground,” he said.
Rouleau’s elevator being described as iconic wouldn’t be so far off as it was prominently featured in the hit comedy show ‘Corner Gas.’ The elevator had the town’s fictitious name, Dog River, painted on it.
“Everyone kind of slowly started waking up in town and realized what was going on,” Buburuz said. “Everyone starting pulling up and was just watching as the iconic grain elevator came down, unfortunately.
“It was really shocking. Just in the middle of the night smelling smoke and seeing the whole town glowing from the flames woke me up pretty quick.”
In a tweet, ‘Corner Gas’ star Brent Butt said: “Well this is a kick in the guts.”
We are deeply sorry to hear the news of the loss of the grain elevator in Rouleau, Saskatchewan. On behalf of the entire #CornerGas crew and community we send our love to the town. May the majestic 'Dog River' grain elevator live on, and on, and on! pic.twitter.com/nroeBqRmHe
— Corner Gas (@CornerGas) November 5, 2021
Rouleau mayor shares town’s heartbreak
The town’s mayor, Grant Clarke, says the grain elevator held an important role in the community.
“It was a big part of our town,” Clarke said. “That’s actually the last elevator that we have. We had seven here at one time and it was personally owned; farmers actually used it.
“It’s too bad. It’s just another chapter closed.”
Clarke says the elevator was built in 1973 and was one of the last wooden ones built in the province.
He also said it still drew tourists to the community, with most other landmarks affiliated with the show no longer existing in the town.
“There’s not much left of items in Dog River that Corner Gas used,” Clarke claimed. “A lot of pictures get taken there from tourists.
“That’s going to be missed.”
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
