Originally published February 2, 1956
Just as church services were starting Sunday morning, the fire siren sounded calling members of Virden Fire Brigade to a blaze in the frame building on the Trans-Canada highway outside the town limits occupied by McCullough Tool Co.
Fire in the building had made considerable headway before it was discovered and the alarm put in.
Sunday’s fire beat plans of the Brigade for a practice to try out the two new fire tricks handed over to the Brigade recently by the Town of Virden. The blaze Sunday gave the new equipment a try-out under fire.
While performance of the new equipment was satisfactory in every way, the fire was too advanced when the alarm sounded for the building to be saved. A nearby building occupied by Oilwell Supply and Flint Rig was not only saved but was not even scorched so efficient was the fire fighting equipment.
The Brigade Sunday worked under difficulties. The fire well nearest the burning building was nearly a mile distant. At first, one unit trained its hoses on the blaze while the other shuttled back for more water. Then Pete Romaniuk came to the assistance of the Brigade with six of his huge water trucks which made available plenty of water.
Fire Chief Fred Sanford and his men did an excellent job with their new equipment, among the most modern in the West.
The building owned by Atkinson, Robinson and McNary was completed last year and was fully covered by insurance. The extensive stock of oil well tools carried by McCullough Tool Co. was also insured.
