Hotel owner in shock after fire destroys property, post office
An early morning fire destroyed a landmark in a small southeast Manitoba community.
According to RCMP, officers from the Whitemouth and Lac du Bonnet detachments were called to a fire at the hotel and post office in Rennie, Man. around 3:50 a.m. Fire crews from Whitemouth, Whiteshell and Reynolds also responded to the incident in the community located about 130 kilometres east of Winnipeg on Highway 44.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but the loss is already being felt by people in the area.
“It’s going to be tough for sure,” said Ryan Kuz, the postmaster in Rennie and a previous owner of the hotel. “So many good memories, so much history in this building. So many people probably had their first drinks, probably a couple years too early. It’s going to be tough.”
No one was hurt as the hotel was empty but the fire spread fast, destroying the 83-year-old structure which was also home to a restaurant and bar. It has been a fixture in the community just outside the entrance to Whiteshell Provincial Park.
The Rennie Hotel went up in flames on Dec. 8, 2022. (Source: Colleen Kuz Gresko)
Carlin Giesbrecht, the deputy chief of the Whitemouth Fire Department, said when crews arrived at the fire, it was in its beginning stages.
"The guys made entry and knocked the fire down a bit but unfortunately it had already spread into interior walls, attic spaces," he said in an interview in Rennie.
"We were fortunate that we had the RM of Reynolds Fire Department help us, as well as the Whiteshell (Fire Department) out of West Hawk came to help us so we can rotate guys out of the weather, keep them somewhat warm."
He said crews were also called to another fire earlier on the Canadian Pacific (CP) railway tracks about five kilometres west of town.
According to information from RCMP and CP, a mechanical issue caused a fire on a locomotive around 11:30 a.m. near Rennie. No one was hurt.
Fire crews from Whitemouth responded, extinguished the fire and went home only to be dispatched back to Rennie hours later for the fire at the hotel and post office.
The aftermath of a fire at the Rennie Hotel and post office on Dec. 8, 2022 (Image source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)
Kuz’s family bought it in 1952 and owned the hotel, which was built in 1939, for around 30 years.
They sold it and bought it back in 2002 before selling it again just over a year ago while Kuz continued working in the building as the postmaster.
“And we just recently sold in 2021, hoping for the new people to have success but this isn’t so great,” Kuz said.
The new owners, who declined comment on camera, took over the hotel in July 2021. They said it had been closed for the past two months since Sep. 30 due to staffing challenges. But they said they planned to reopen next week just in time for the start of the snowmobile season.
Uma Bilimoria, who ran the hotel with her husband, and also owns the Rennie gas station said she’s shocked and it feels like the land below their feet has been taken out.
"The last year, the hotel was so good. It was up and running. It was doing so good. The people were very happy," she said, adding it was an entertainment hub in the area.
"It's a really big loss for the community."
Russ Gawluk, reeve of the RM of Reynolds, said when open, the hotel was a popular place to stop for snowmobilers in the winter and park visitors in the summer.
“It’s a huge loss," Gawluk said. “Over the decades it’s been a hub for people to get together either coming to or leaving the Whiteshell.”
Shannon Amos, who’s lived in Rennie for 15 years, said losing the hotel leaves a hole in the community.
“Everybody gathered here,” Amos said. “The vendor in the summer time. In the winter time, it was always busy, snowmobilers came from all around for wing nights and gatherings but this is devastating.”
Along with the hotel, the post office located in the building was destroyed.
Weeks away from Christmas, Kuz, the postmaster, estimates up to a couple dozen parcels along with up to 60 letters were lost in the fire.
The post office serves people living in about 140 homes and cottages, he said.
“They will find out,” Kuz said, speaking about the fire. “I think most of it was Christmas presents, a lot of Amazon packages of course but other than that everything seems to be regular mail.”
Kuz said it’s a tough time of year to have a fire at a post office.
He said anyone who lost any mail or parcels will be able to contact Canada Post to make a claim. He said a temporary post office is being set up in the community centre with plans to build a new one in the future.
There’s no word yet from the new owners on what they plan to do about the loss of their hotel but people in the community hope something new can go up in its place.
The RCMP said an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing with assistance from the Office of the Fire Commissioner.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.