LATEST STORIES:

Fire destroys a Hamilton home but fire crews save iconic music studio

Share this story...

The Ontario Fire Marshal is trying to figure out what caused a fire that demolished two homes in central Hamilton, but spared a world famous recording studio.

Hamilton fire crews were called to a blaze that started at 34 Grant avenue in central Hamilton just before 5 pm Monday.  No one was hurt in the fire but it spread to the two neighbouring houses, causing extreme damage.

It almost spread to the Grant Avenue studio, an iconic music studio housing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of recording equipment. The studio has been a beacon on Hamilton’s music scene since 1976. Artists like Gordon Lightfoot, Johnny Cash and U2 have all recorded there.

Thanks to quick-acting firefighters, once they realized the other homes couldn’t be salvaged, they went in and covered the equipment with tarps.

“They went in and I can’t believe what they did for us. They took down all the important stuff on the wall, they stored instruments.” Amy King, producer/engineer.

The studio is booked solid until July. The owner says weeks of cleanup will have to be done, as well as a lot of rescheduling but that’s nothing compared to what could have been.