Peace Valley Restaurant Explosion, 1971

Originally Published in the Peterborough Examiner, June 17, 1971

A restaurant and store, three miles from Fenelon Falls, was literally lifted from its foundation when an explosion blew all four walls down about 11:40 am Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Truax, proprietors of the Peace Valley Restaurant and a customer, Trucker, Garth Horsley, R.R. 2 Minden of Horsley Lumber Ltd., Haliburton, were taken to Ross Memorial Hospital, Lindsay, with cuts, abrasions and shock. Their condition is satisfactory. Two Truax children, Brenda 18, who was upstairs at the time of the explosion, and Debbie, 16, who was outside escaped injury. David 14, was at school at the time.

The blast which caused over $30,000 damage, destroyed the restaurant, and adjoining living quarters and vehicles nearby. The four walls of the building were blown out. A stoney chimney was toppled, a metal awning was blown about 100 feet narrowly missing Elaine Jubb, 17 who was collecting mail from a box. Her father Arthur Jubb who was 200 feet away working among trees was knocked off his feet by the blast. Mr. Jubb said it was like hearing a 200 lb bomb going off. He said the blast was heard miles up the road.

A neighbour, Robert Worrall of Keswick, who operates the Peace Valley Collision repair shop next door said he was working on a truck tailgate facing the restaurant when the explosion occurred. “All at once the building lifted two and a half to three feet in the air and then all the sides blew out.” He said it was a big, dull sound a swish “and everything flew right up.”

He said he started to run across to the restaurant then decided to call for ambulance and police first. He then went to the restaurant to find three people lying on the floor, Mr. and Mrs. Truax and Mr. Horsley. He said Mrs. [Loreen] Truax was unconscious.  Mr. Worrall said about three minutes later he and a salesman, Merle Morgan of Sutton would have been in the restaurant having lunch.

Investigating officer, A.J. Kea, of Coboconk OPP detachment said that he too had been in the restaurant the day previously for coffee.  A big dog tied at the back appeared to have had his paw hurt by flying debris and a smaller dog belonging to the household was missing. Inspector A.R. Martin of the Department of Labour, Energy Branch, Peterborough was at the scene Wednesday afternoon assisting in the investigation. Sgt. Scott Raybound of the identification branch, Peterborough and Const. Pat Dunn of Lindsay OPP detachment were also investigating the explosion.