Library ‘campers,’ staff evacuated safely after historic Ontario clock tower struck by lightning

One of Canada oldest clock towers and an iconic landmark in downtown Uxbridge was struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon, with firefighters responding quickly to douse the flames and township staff moving even faster to evacuate both employees and a group of children participating in a library camper program.

Uxbridge Mayor Dave Barton said there were no injuries and praised library staff who safely evacuated staff and campers to town hall.

“Our firefighters responded quickly and extinguished the fire and library staff did an outstanding job moving everyone safely out of the building,” he said. “The library campers were brought over to council chambers, where they kept busy doing crafts until their parents arrived.”

Toronto Street in downtown Uxbridge remained closed into the evening to allow fire crews to complete their work and the library will be closed until further notice to ensure the safety of staff, patrons, and emergency responders.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

“Days like today are a great reminder of how fortunate we are to have such dedicated staff, emergency responders and caring community members,” Barton said.

Uxbridge CAO Kristi Peshal Honey said the incident was a “reminder” why staff prepare for such emergencies.

“This is not a drill,” she said on the township socials. “When a fire was discovered in the library clock tower after lightning struck, everyone responded exactly as they had trained to do.”

“Our library staff calmly and safely evacuated the building in accordance with our emergency response plans. Our fire department responded immediately, quickly containing the fire and protecting both people and one of Uxbridge’s most treasured buildings. Staff activated our emergency management procedures, communications kept residents informed, insurance was engaged, and our day camps were safely relocated to town hall while parents were promptly notified.”

“It takes an entire organization working together to respond well to an unexpected event, and tonight every part of that orchestra played its role.”

The Uxbridge Public Library Clock Tower, built in 1887, was given a freshen up last year with significant restoration work to preserve its historic charm.

The original clock, purchased in 1887 for $315 from Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements of Connecticut, has remained in operation ever since. While the clock mechanism continued working, the hands and the machinery controlling them required careful refurbishment. The new hands were custom-made by an expert in Grimsby, Ontario – one of the few remaining professionals with the skills needed for this kind of complex heritage work.

The original wooden mechanism for the clock, wound by a large crank, can still be seen in the library today.

In addition to the clock restoration, the Millennial Chimes, which were installed in 1999 to ring in the new millennium, have been replaced with a new system. An anonymous donor came forward in early 2025 with an offer to purchase a new carillon for the community once the clock repairs were completed. Remarkably, the same individual who installed the original chimes in 1999 also installed the new system this year.

The clock tower is older than the iconic Peace Tower in Ottawa – featured prominently on the Canadian $20 bill – which dates to 1916 after a fire destroyed the original and even predates the National Assembly of Quebec clock tower by a year.

The oldest clock towers still standing in Canada are both in Halifax: Old Town Clock on Citadel Hill (1801) and HMC Dockyard Clock, which was built in 1772.

After nearly 140 years on the job, Uxbridge’s iconic library clock tower is still standing and the clock is still – as it has since Canada was just young nation of 20 years – is still ticking.

Photo by Andrew Dickinson