Just days before a meeting meant to keep it alive, an historic lighthouse older than Canada was destroyed.
The Cole Shoal Lighthouse on the St. Lawrence, west of Brockville, burned down on Monday night after it's believed it was struck by lightning.
It was 162 years old.
People nearby could do nothing but watch it burn.
The lighthouse had been out of commission since the 1920's.
It was given a $15,000 renovation in 2001.
The Ontario Heritage Trust was set to inspect the lighthouse Thursday to determine how it could be preserved.