Fire destroys landmark hotel in Sedgewick

Around midnight on Thursday, Feb. 21, police and fire departments received notification of alarms triggered at the Pioneer Hotel in Sedgewick.

According to Flagstaff Regional Fire Chief Kim Cannady, owner Rob Hallum, was asleep in the building when fire crews arrived, and was treated for smoke inhalation by EMS at the scene and released.

The building is a total loss, but fire departments from Sedgewick and Killam were able to contain the blaze.

Sedgewick Public Works and fire personnel were dealing with an open water line at the site early Friday morning which continued to run water into the basement of the structure.

As the water froze on the roadway up to five inches thick in places, leaving the curbs level with the surface of the road over the course of fighting the blaze, a vacuum truck had to be called in to remove some of the water on the Main Street as it had hopped the curb and was threatening to flood the Community Hall.

Ashes and small burned bits of debris from the fire were carried by the breeze and covered vehicles and snowbanks all over the town’s Main Street. Cannady says the rubble will smolder for the rest of the weekend at least.

The hotel is owned and operated by Robert and Christine Hallum of Killam, and the couple brought live entertainment to the Pioneer on a regular basis, in fact Hypnotist Martin Presse was scheduled to perform at the hotel Friday evening.