Dozens displaced after apartment fire in Downtown Guelph
Dozens of people have been displaced after a fire at a mixed-use building in Downtown Guelph.
Crews were called to the fire on Wyndham Street near Quebec Street just after 1 a.m. Police said between 25 to 30 people have been displaced.
Viewer video shows smoke pouring out of the building and firefighters breaking a window on the main floor to get inside.
The fire chief called it “a stubborn fire that took a fair bit of work” to get under control.
“Our thoughts go out to anybody who is impacted by this. We know that it’s a difficult time anytime a fire happens like this that requires you to evacuate from your home,” Guelph Fire Chief Dave Elloway said. “Right now those people can’t access anything, so everything that they are doing is going to be cared for by social services… making sure that they are feed and they are housed.”
The ground floor of the three-storey building appears to be home to a marketing company, an addictions treatment centre, and previously a furniture store. The upper floors were residential units.
The ground floor of the building appears to be home to a marketing company, an addictions treatment centre and previously a furniture store. (CTV Kitchener)
In a message posted on its website, the additions treatment centre said the overnight fire damaged its clinic and temporarily disrupted service.
Patients are being directed to call 1-877-937-2282 with any questions or concerns.
“We are committed to providing you with ongoing care and there will be no interruption to your medication,” it said.
People displaced by the fire are being sheltered at the West End Community Centre.
Wyndham Street from Quebec Street to Woolwich Street was closed, but had reopened as of 1:45 p.m. Fire officials, including the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal, and police are investigating.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, but it is believed the fire could have started in the basement.
“We know we have a fire that has compromised the first floor of the structure, caused it to partially collapse into the basement, so really, for us to facilitate any kind of fire investigation, we've got to take care of the structural concerns, so we're going to get a structural engineer in here to assess that,” said Mike Ross and investigator with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office.
NEARBY RESIDENTS REACT
Danni Rudy Leigh said they were watching the action from across the street.
“I am used to lights and stuff coming down through here, but then suddenly there was so many, and it was like, fire truck, fire truck, fire truck,” Leigh said.
Leigh said their pharmacy is in the building that caught fire.
“All of my meds for the week are in there, and so, now they're trying to call between different places to get meds switched between different pharmacies and things,” said Leigh.
Just down the street, the Pharmasave is trying to step up to fill as many prescriptions as they can.
“Staff there have been really proactive with sending our staff prescriptions for maintaining care,” said the pharmacy owner, Gorge Boctor.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.