Matthew Kryzanowski, safety and lot foreman with Wild Rose Midway, said the scene he and crew members awoke to on Tuesday morning was a surprise.
“It was about 7:30 this morning when I got up, and we saw the building on fire,” said Kryzanowski, who’s been in the travelling carnival business for years. “It was pretty crazy, actually. We never really expected to see something like that. We’ve never really ever seen something like that.”
Athabasca County regional fire chief Travis Shalapay said crews got the call at 5:41 a.m. on Tuesday morning to respond to the fire at the Grand Union Hotel. Heavy smoke was visible on arrival.
Parts of the Midway crew arrived in town Monday morning with rides in tow ahead of their weekend residency along the Athabasca Riverfront. Due to the cancellation of the Cold Lake Air Show last weekend, the crew arrived well ahead of their start date on Friday, and found themselves in close proximity to the blaze.
Kryzanowski said the crew is waiting to set up their rides and stands until they receive the all clear from emergency responders, but he’s optimistic the Midway will go ahead for Friday as planned.
More to come …
