Candle Lake Golf Course restaurant may be a total loss after early morning fire

Fire crews are battling a blaze at the Candle Lake Golf Course clubhouse on Monday morning.

On-call firefighters from the Resort Village of Candle Lake responded to the call around 12:40 a.m. on Monday, according to Brent Lutz, the village's chief administrator.

Lutz told CTV News the first arriving crew reported smoke and flames coming from the main lounge and restaurant of the two-storey timber structure. Soon after, they called in reinforcements from Prince Albert, the nearby rural municipality of Garden River, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

(Chad Hills / CTV News)

Photos shared with CTV News on Monday morning showed a hose truck from Prince Albert spraying down the massive smouldering building, which housed a restaurant, retail store, coffee shop and administration offices.

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Firefighters applied water to the structure and demolished a link between the restaurant and an adjacent hotel to prevent the fire from spreading, Lutz said. The hotel and banquet facility were evacuated safely and there have been no reported injuries so far.

(Source: Lesa Haworth / Facebook)

By 11 a.m., support crews had been sent home, but the local team was still on site keeping the fire under control and putting out hot spots.

The club house serves an 18-hole golf course in the resort village of Candle Lake, located just over a two-hour drive from Saskatoon.

The impressive building sits on the water’s edge adjacent to a marina, and is a popular venue to book for summer weddings.

Now, it looks like the restaurant and venue will be a total loss, said Lutz.

"This is a major blow for the operators of the golf resort," he said.

"It's probably our most significant commercial operation in the village here. It's certainly a part of everyone's regular lifestyle."

(Source: Lesa Haworth / Facebook)

Anybody who had a booking at the golf resort can expect a call from the owner to make other arrangements, Lutz said — once the operator has had time to process the loss.

"We hopeful that it doesn't have a long-term impact on their operations or the amenities that are offered here in our community."

In a news release Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for the resort said the golf course remains open.

"Despite this absolute tragedy, the golf course remains open for play. Golfers are invited to visit the resort and support the community during this difficult time."

According to the spokesperson, damage to the main building is extensive in some areas. Damage to the conference centre is still being assessed, and townhouses, cabins and the adjacent RV park were not affected.

The community's fire chief expressed his sympathy for the owners and staff of the resort in an interview with CTV News on Monday.

"This is absolutely devastating for the community and the fact that it's probably the biggest employer out here, so I feel sorry for the employees and the owners too," said Jim Arnold, Candle Lake Fire Rescue chief.

(Photo submitted)