Police are still investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a vacant heritage building in Bradford on Saturday, but the structure has been demolished for safety reasons.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is not investigating the fire because no investigators were available on the weekend, said Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire Chief Kevin Gallant, but “most of the evidence (was) destroyed” with the tear down.
On Monday, the smell of the charred building was still in the air, and nearby trees and shrubs that would have been sprayed by fire crews’ hoses were thick with icicles. An intact lightbulb still in its socket could be seen through fencing that surrounded the site.
The demolishing of the property at 72 and 74 Holland St. E., between Bingham and Nelson streets, was done for three reasons, said Gallant.
With the building right beside the road and sidewalk, firefighters “were concerned about debris falling or a wall collapsing,” he said. “It was unstable.”
As well, firefighters had to pull the building apart to properly access “smouldering materials,” and make sure there were no victims inside.
No one was injured in the fire, which caused more than $500,000 in damages, Gallant said.
The cause of the fire is still listed as “undetermined,” he said.
South Simcoe police are investigating the cause, according to Sue Sgambati, who's in corporate communications with the police department.
On Saturday, firefighters were called to the scene shortly before 5 a.m. and were there until 5:30 p.m. or 6 p.m., said Gallant, who worked 16 hours that day.
One fire truck from New Tecumseth and one Innisfil pumper truck helped the three trucks from Bradford West Gwillimbury fight the fire, he said.
“It was a good day of co-operation,” he said.
