Damage is estimated at $5 million in an early-morning fire that destroyed two rows of townhouses in Kitchener’s north end.
Robert Murphy was one of the first people to spot the flames.
Driving past the Victoria Common development around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, he spotted a “flicker of light” in a garage.
Investigating further, he saw smoke pouring from the building.
“A minute and a half, two minutes into the situation, it was fully engulfed,” he said.
Murphy called 911, and fire crews responded to the area of St. Leger and Louisa streets moments later.
They arrived to find two rows of townhouses being consumed by flames, as well as embers sparking another fire on the roof of a nearby row.
“They held the fire to that particular roof and prevented the migration to adjoining dwellings,” said interim fire chief Gary Mann.
Authorities went door-to-door in the neighbourhood to evacuate the homes of their sleeping residents.
Some, including Andrew More, had already woken up and made their way outdoors.
More had awoken feeling something was amiss. Opening a window, he saw the fire.
“All we saw was a massive flame. It was a pretty remarkable sight at 5:30 in the morning,” he said.
More gathered some possession and went outside, knocking on his brother’s door in an adjacent unit to warn him.
Some of the townhouses were already inhabited, while others were under construction and unoccupied.
Affected homes will be rebuilt, said a spokesperson for Losani Homes, which was constructing the townhouses.
“Rebuilding will take place as we have an obligation to deliver the homes to our customers,” William Liske said.
“We can’t offer a timeline though until full assessments are complete with respect to the fire, the damage, and the necessary work to restart.”
Investigators with the Kitchener Fire Department and the Office of the Fire Marshal are expected to remain on-site for several days.
