London fire crews up late for near-downtown blaze

A suspicious fire at a multi-unit residence near downtown London has caused substantial damage.

It is believed no one was injured, however, several tenants are said to be displaced.

The blaze at 153 Sydenham S. began around 11:30 p.m.

Ava Henderson, a university student who lives next door called 911.

“We saw flickering orange from behind the blinds,” she told CTV News.

Ava and her roommate Amelia quickly sprung into action.

“I was in the back room and I heard someone yelling, ‘There’s a fire next door!’” Amelia explained. “So we all jumped up and Ava was getting everyone in this building out and I was getting everybody next door out.”

Moments later, the two women say a second-floor window seemed to explode.

“It was breaking the glass and going up and over the roof of the house,” Ava said.

Fire crews were able to get the blaze under control and remained at the scene well into the early morning hours.

By dawn, a police officer guarded the taped-off building as he waited for investigators.

Neighbours tell CTV News London they are relieved it appears no one was hurt.

However, they also expressed they were not surprised to see emergency responders arrive. Several people contend the address has experienced ongoing concerns.

Gord Duplan witnessed the fire from his nearby home and is among those alarmed.

“It’s been going on for years. The police have been here, ambulance, the fire department,” said Duplan.

An area landlord of an adjoining property says several incidents, including one in 2021 that saw two people arrested, sparked him to install security cameras.

Duplan added, “There is nothing the city can do, but it’s just gotten progressively worse.”