Disaster: Montreal Karate Club has gone up in smoke.

Guys;

Don't know how to tell you that very sad sad sad news. But the dojo burnt down today. Total loss. We were shopping on St-Hubert and by coincidence, we walked up to St-Zotique . Clelia told me there was a big fire near the dojo. Nooooo! It is the dojo that is burning. So far, I can't believe it. Watanabe's life, 40 years of MKC, has gone up in smoke.

A policeman told me that Bruno had talked with him. He also told me that they will barricade everything. Leave a phone number when someone wants to visit the place. Those who wanted to go train on Jan 1st will have to meet to discuss the matter. I should be there. Don"t think I am going to Quebec City for the New Year. Let's keep in touch and try to reach all the black belts. I don't have any phone numbers, though. I leave a note on the blog, the Facebook page and so on.

Check the LCN news. There are two videos as well:

http://lcn.canoe.ca/lcn/infos/faitsdivers/archives/2008/12/20081223-104346.html

Dans 24heures:

http://www.24hmontreal.canoe.ca/24hmontreal/actualites/archives/2008/12/20081223-144446.html

From The Gazette:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Another+fire+Rosemont+area+Montreal/1108510/story.html

I saw a video on RDI news but can't find it on the web. It was taken at the beginning of the fire and you can see those big flames gettitng out by the office window. I bet it is that damn little ventilator that caused a short-circuit. Anyway, something happened in Sensei's office.

(update) I found it. It is in the noon RDI broadcast. After the Telus ad, it is the third news at about the 2:00 mark. Chilling. Acccording to this report, a woman saw the front window exploded and then the flames. And I edited the news video before they erase them.

Fire at the Montreal Karate Club
envoyé par Montreal_Karate_Club

(update) Go to this post for the first update on the situation. To this post for the second update. To this one for the third update. The fourth update is here.

Sigh!!!!
Eric