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¢ . His face set with grim determination, a firefighter levels a blast of water at one of the Island homes consumed by flame. - Vol. 121 No. 23 High winds blowing off the lake drove flames _ from one building to the next on Platten Island PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, May 5, 1987 -- 21 last Tuesday, eventually claiming three and damaging two more. Copy 50 52 Pages Three Island cottages destroyed Tuesday, May 5, 1987. oP ra Fire causes over $250,000 damage by Cathy Olliffe Firefighters are calling it the worst fire here in recent years. Last Tuesday morning (Apr. 28) a Platten Island home erupted into flames, causing an inferno that burned two homes to the ground, Engulfed in flame, one of the cottages destroyed a cottage, and substan- tially damaged two other cottages. Scugog No. 1 firefighters (Port Perry) received the call at 10:09 a.m. and arrived at the scene, just around the corner from Goreski's Marina, 12 minutes later to find the destroyed by fire fills the sky with thick, black first house, owned by 22 year old Don Shrum, already down. Scugog No. 2 firefighters (Caesarea) were called in to assist, as well as members of Durham Regional Police and an ambulance. Every available volunteer was call- smoke, burning embers and intense heat. ed in to help, including those work- ing as far away as Oshawa and Ux- bridge, as high winds threatened to carry the flames further along the row of tightly spaced buildings on Platten Island. Even several citizens pitched in, carrying hoses and assisting firefighters any way they could. Despite the help, approximately $250,000 damage was caused by the blaze. Homes owned by Don Shrum and Orval Wilson burned to the ground, as did a cottage owned by Larry Thoms. The flames nearly consumed another cottage, owned by John Kryger, but firefighters managed to keep the fire at bay, a remarkable feat considering the cottage was no, more than six feet away from the Thoms' cottage, which was totally destroyed. Still another cottage, directly across the road from the inferno, owned by Ken Davidson, sustajned damage from embers falling on the roof. A car parked in the Davidson driveway was also damaged. Four firefighters. were. injured during the six hours they fought the blaze: Irv Gibson was treated and released from Port Perry's Com- munity Memorial Hospital for pull- ed muscles in his arm, shoulder and chest. Gary Gibson was treated for ex- haustion, Gordon Mahaffy received a severe cut on his hand, and rookie firefighter Jamie Donaldson was burned on the back of the neck after embers fell down his collar. Donaldson was also treated for smoke inhalation. : Three senior citizens at the scene were also treated with oxygen for smoke inhalation and anxiety. Port Perry Captain Bill Harrison says firefighters have no idea, at this point, why the fire even started. (Turn to page 25) Rookie firefighter Jamie Donaldson suffered smoke in- halation and a burned neck.