Careless smoking ruled as cause of Tillsonburg, Ont. apartment fire

Apartment fire at 195 Lisgar Ave. in Tillsonburg, Ont. (Sean Irvine/CTV London)

Officials say careless smoking has been determined as the cause of a fire that displaced dozens of tenants from a Tillsonburg, Ont. apartment building last month.

Chief Shane Caskanette from the Tillsonburg Fire Department told CTV News Wednesday that discarded smoking materials ignited some bedding and flooring in a unit at 195 Lisgar Ave. in the morning of March 8.

Apartment fire at 195 Lisgar Ave. in Tillsonburg, Ont. on March 8, 2022. (Courtesy: Darrin Mueller)

Smoke and flames could be seen pouring out of a fourth floor apartment. 

An aerial ladder with a bucket had to be used to rescue some of the tenants from their balconies above the fire.

No one was hurt and residents were taken to a local community centre. Since then, they have only been allowed back in to retrieve some items.