Fire destroys Grand Bend RONA, causes $10 million in damage

A May 22 fire at the Moffatt and Powell RONA location in Grand Bend has destroyed the local hardware store and caused an estimated $10 million in damage.

By Dan Rolph

A staple in the Grand Bend business community has been left in ruins after a fire on Friday, May 22.

Firefighters were called to the Moffatt and Powell RONA on Ontario Street South around 2 p.m.

According to Lambton Shores fire chief Sean Smith, everyone inside the building at the time made it out to safety.

“No employees or customers reported any injuries, and no firefighters were injured while doing firefighting activities,” said Smith.

Smith estimated the fire caused about $10 million in damage. He said four Lambton Shores stations responded to the call, as well as South Huron’s Exeter and Dashwood stations that were on the scene with an aerial truck.

Taming the blaze was an hours-long affair, and Smith said firefighters were at the scene until about 6 a.m. the following morning, when they turned the property back over to the owners.

As of May 27, Smith said the investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing and that he couldn’t provide a date for when that investigation would be concluded.

Over the years the building has housed many businesses, including hardware stores, beauty salons, grocery stores and more. Before becoming a RONA location, it was Pro Pineland Hardware. It then became RONA Davies Hardware, which was eventually acquired by Moffatt and Powell RONA in 2023, making it the 10th location under the regional banner.

In a social media post, Moffatt and Powell thanked first responders for their work in combating the fire, as well as the community members who have shown their support.

“Your kindness and encouragement have meant a great deal to our team.”

Deputy Mayor Dan Sageman also took to social media to look back on the building’s history in the community while recognizing the work of local firefighters.

“Seeing the scene firsthand I was very impressed and proud of our Lambton Shores firefighters,” he said. “The amount of training and practice that these dedicated men and women have put in was evident in a very organized tactical response.”