Fire marshal concludes on-site investigation of Tyne Valley arena fire

The P.E.I.fire marshal has turned over the site of the Tyne Valley sports centre to the arena's insurance company but the investigation into the cause of the fire that destroyed the building is still ongoing.

The building was a total loss after a fire early Sunday morning.

Paul Noye, the president of the sports centre's board of directors, said the insurance company will now continue with its own investigation. Once that is complete, he said cleanup efforts will begin.

Cleanup

With metal and debris where the building once stood, Noye said there is 24-hour security on-site, to keep the property secureand ensure safety.

At this point, Noye said he doesn't know exactly what cleanup of the site itself will look like, but he told CBC he believes it will be organized by the insurance company.

There are several privately operated construction and demolition sites throughout the province. Gerry Moore, CEO of Island Waste Management Corporation, said where the debris ends up will depend on whether it contains hazardous materials.

"If it was melted plastics or chemicals or something, then the Environment [Department] may want it to handle those materials different than what they typically would for a demolition of a building that wasn't damaged by fire," Moore said.

He also said with demolished buildings, there is often the opportunity to recycle materials including metal, though he doesn't know if that will be possible in this case.

Noye said he hopes to know more details about cleanup in the days ahead.

Looking to rebuild

While the board and the public await the results of the provincial investigation, Fire Marshal Dave Rossiter said earlier in the week that it might not be possible to determine the cause.

In part, that's because some of the evidence was destroyed by firefighters during the effort to put out the blaze.

Meanwhile, even with the debris still on-site, the community is already looking ahead to rebuilding.The board has established a project management team,with committees to focus on finance, fundraising, and construction.

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