$1-million fire in Aylmer, 10 people displaced
At least 10 people are displaced after a century building in the heart of Aylmer was destroyed by fire Monday evening.
The blaze broke out shortly after 8:30 pm on Talbot Street.
The structure contained several upper-floor apartment units and main-floor businesses.
One business owner told CTV News his daughter was still cleaning inside his ground floor realty office when fire crews pulled up and went upstairs. She quickly fled.
Aylmer Fire Chief Todd McKone said his crews arrived to find heavy flame and smoke in the upper floor units. Smoke alarms were sounding.
“Crews cleared the facility and we had a good idea no one was inside. It was extremely hot and smoky. It was not a safe condition to do firefighting in. So, we transitioned to a defensive attack at that time,” said McKone.
As tenants were taken to area hotels, some neighbouring business owners watched the battle against the flames.
A backhoe had to be brought in after the roof collapsed during a fire in Aylmer, Ont. on March 21, 2023. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)While some spots were knocked down quickly, others proved harder to fight.
“The flames were out for the most part, except for one particular corner. It just wouldn’t go out,” said a cafe owner who watched from her business across the street.
McKone said 50 firefighters from Aylmer, Malahide, Central Elgin and later St. Thomas, helped to bring the fire under control.
The early damage estimate is set at $1-million but could climb higher.
During the fire, the roof collapsed into the structure. That forced firefighters to bring in heavy equipment at daybreak.
Throughout the morning, it tore away at the roof to access hotspots.
Investigators will comb the site when safe, but a suspected cause has already been determined.
Damage is extensive after a fire in Aylmer on March 20, 2023. (Source: Aylmer police)“It’s not suspicious. It is centered around cooking activities that took place earlier in the day,” McKone said.
At least two neighbouring buildings, including a bank, have smoke and water damage.
According to McKone, an engineer will need to inspect them before they can reopen.
Other businesses along Talbot Street between John Street and Queen Street are not expected to open until the afternoon.
Traffic in the area has been rerouted.
Back at the scene, Paul Driver expressed sorrow at the sight of the blaze.
Just three months ago, he moved his business out of the building.
Fire crews tackle a massive blaze on Talbot Street in Aylmer on the evening of March 20, 2023. (Source: Aylmer Police Service/Facebook) “We got to know some of the tenants that lived above us and the other businesses, tough to see,” said Driver.
And like many here, he said he is saddened to know the streetscape will soon have a hole in its heart.
“Downtowns are really important. I hate to see any of the old buildings go,” Driver expressed with sadness.
The cafe owner shared the same thoughts for the future.
“All the improvement and new businesses coming and to have this happen, just wow!” she shared.
—Video source: Jarrett Medeiros and Cody Colfax
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.