By Emily Stonehouse
A devastating fire in Harcourt last week has left the community wondering about next steps.
Shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 12, the Highlands East Fire Department received a call for a structure fire at the Kingdon Timber Mart in Harcourt. While Harcourt is technically Dysart property, due to geographical proximity, the Highlands East team takes the lead on fire calls in the area. “We discovered a well-developed fire, coming from the attic area,” confirmed Highlands East Fire Chief, Chris Baughman.
Baughman and his team quickly noted the size of the structure, and the contents inside the building, including paints, plumbing, and lumber. “It was like a house fire, times ten,” he said. “If there was no action taken, it certainly would have spread to other buildings.” Currently, the cause of the fire is unknown. “We know where it started,” confirmed Baughman, “but we don’t know what started it.”
With 35 firefighters arriving on-site, all from within County boundaries, most of the fire was extinguished by 1:30 a.m. the following morning. One firefighter slipped on the ice in the process, and was treated immediately for a broken arm before being taken to the Haliburton Hospital.
Baughman shared that with a fire of that size, it was required to stay and monitor for potential hot spots at the site. “We were worried that there would be some buried embers that could reignite,” he said, noting that he stayed until 10 a.m. to keep a close watch before duties were handed over to another individual. “We needed to guarantee that it wouldn’t reignite and take down the other buildings.”
Some of the other buildings on-site included the lumber yard itself, and a number of structures holding materials such as drywall, vehicles, and propane. Due to the quick action taken by local firefighters, the fire did not spread beyond the main building, but the building as a whole is completely decimated from the flames
“It was a huge loss,” noted Baughman, “but it could have been a lot worse.”
The fire left the community in shock; a reminder of how fast emergencies make waves in a small town. “This business has served Harcourt and the East side of Haliburton County for some 50 years, serving as the area’s lumber and hardware supplier,” said Dysart et al Mayor Murray Fearrey. “It is hoped the rebuilding will start soon as this is important as a needed service to area residents.”
Alex Banelopoulos, a media representative from Kingdon Timber Mart, confirmed during a phone call on Feb. 19 that while the Harcourt location is beyond repair, the company will be transporting trailers to the site to ensure business continuity. “That way, we can continue to move lumber from that site,” she said, “with an eventual opening sometime in the future.”
Staff have been allocated to the Gooderham site for the interim, until business continues operation in a safe manner at the Harcourt location.
Kingdon operates five Timber Mart locations, including Lakefield, Havelock, Harcourt, Peterborough, and Gooderham. The family industry dates back to 1846, with George Samuel Kingdon immigrating from England to set up a cooperage shop dedicated to barrel supplies, providing materials to Quaker Oats.
The Harcourt location has been under the Kingdon umbrella since 2024. Kevin Dyck, a sixth generation of the Kingdon family, is now the co-owner of the establishment, and the VP of operations. “We’re forging ahead,” confirmed Dyck during a phone interview late last week. “We’re hoping to be open and operational again for building supplies by end of next week.”
While the fire was devastating to the family, Dyck noted some ‘silver linings’ to the situation. “No one was hurt,” he said, “and the fire didn’t spread.”
He also noted the dedication from their team during the trying time. “I’ve been so heartened by our staff,” he said, sharing their interest to return to work as soon as possible. “I know there are a lot of good memories there, and it was a sentimental building for the region.”
One of the first steps in order to rebuild is working alongside the municipal building department, which Dyck noted was already well underway. “They’re keen to see things move along,” he noted of the Dysart department, “but I don’t have a crystal ball for when it will be completed.” At the time of the call, he was hoping for one to two years for a full rebuild.
While the rebuild will take time, Dyck shared that staff have set up interim offices, with phones and electrical connecting to the site by this week. Their operations will be “business as usual,” while they try to focus on next steps for the former community hub.
