$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
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Oppenheimer' finally premieres in Japan to mixed reactions and high emotions
'Oppenheimer' finally premiered Friday in the nation where two cities were obliterated 79 years ago by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist who was the subject of the Oscar-winning film. Japanese filmgoers' reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional.