A fire overnight has resulted in the total loss of a hotel under construction on Stirling Crescent in the Highway 400 employment land area of Bradford West Gwillimbury.
A 911 call was received at 12:25 a.m. by a citizen at the nearby park-n-ride who noticed the flames.
Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire and Emergency Services (BWGFES) responded to find the fire was well involved on the ground floor and spreading upwards to the second and third floors of the six-storey building. Other than concrete stairwells, the entire construction was made of wood, with no safety systems installed yet. The structure is a total loss.
“Mutual aid was activated, and I would like to thank firefighters from New Tecumseth, King and Innisfil for their assistance,” said Fire Chief Jim Kay. “Their support has been exceptional – at the height of the fire we had more than a dozen trucks and over 50 firefighters on scene, as well as the South Simcoe police and Simcoe County EMS.
"Fortunately, there were no injuries," he added.
BWGFES will remain on scene throughout the day, using heavy-lifting equipment to move piles of wood to ensure any hot spots and smoldering areas are put out. A grass fire that ignited during the blaze was also extinguished.
Sideroad 5 was closed between Stirling Crescent and Highway 400 and Highway 400 exit ramps were closed off due to the smoke.
Kay noted the cause of the fire is not known, but does not appear suspicious in nature.
“The firefighters did a tremendous job and I am relieved and grateful that there were no injuries sustained in fighting the fire,” said Mayor Rob Keffer. “This hotel is going to be an important development for our growing town, and while it can certainly be rebuilt, it’s terrible to see such a loss.”
The hotel is to be a Hampton Inn & Suites, a member of the Hilton family of hotels.
