It was during a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake last autumn that I had the opportunity to experience the rush reporters must feel when they find themselves right in front of the story as it's breaking!

It began as a flurry of sirens, then a gathering of people, mostly tourists conveniently equipped with cameras! Soon we were barred from accessing the area behind these buildings and quickly realised why. What was really eerie was to think that moments prior to all this commotion, we had walked directly in front of The Butterfly Gallery, completely unaware that there was already a fire burning in its basement.

I wonder, because of their seasoned participation in such events, if reporters experience the same cocktail of emotions that I felt on that October afternoon: while I was thrilled to be right at the scene of something that I knew to be significant and that everyone would be discussing, it was a thrill injected with great sadness as we watched hungry flames devouring someone's livelihood and passion, forever altering the very structure of "the prettiest town in Canada".

© Christine Mastroianni, all rights reserved