Historic Eastman barn in Eastern Townships burns down

The owners of a century-old barn in the Eastern Townships say they were devastated to find it is a total loss after it caught fire Monday.

The Domaine Eastman was a popular destination for weddings, retreats and other large events in the area.

"There's a wedding coming in January. I don't know what we're gonna do. What they're gonna do," said Judith Boisvert, who manages event bookings at Domaine Eastman.

Her partner, Serge Thibaudeau, purchased the barn on Mont-Bon-Plaisir Road in the town of Eastman in 2004.

The two were driving from Montreal back to Eastman when cleaning staff at the barn called them about smoke they saw coming from the building.

As firefighters arrived on the scene, the fire was already spreading rapidly, said Daniel Lefebvre, director of the Eastman Fire Department.

The fire departments of neighbouring Waterloo, Austin and Magog came to assist Eastman firefighters. 

Three employees were in the barn at the time of the fire, and were able to evacuate the building safely, Boisvert said.

By the time Boisvert and Thibaudeau arrived, the building was a total loss.

"We were in shock. I couldn't believe it," said Boisvert.

While most of the other old barns in the area have been torn down, this one remained because of the "magnificent view," said Boisvert.

In the 1980s, the barn was modified to hold 25 rooms on two floors for guests to stay overnight.

Their events could hold 50 to 80 people.

Boisvert said the cause of the fire is not yet known. She added that it was too early to decide whether they would rebuild.

"The view is still there," she said.