Several businesses in a Waterloo strip mall plaza remain closed after a fire broke out Friday night.
Waterloo Fire were called to the Waterloo Commons Plaza on Erb Street West around 8:10 p.m. Smoke could be seen coming from the back of the Kiddie Kobbler children’s shoe store.
Crews quickly extinguished the fire, but smoke had already spread to neighbouring businesses, forcing employees and customers onto the street.
At least five businesses had some smoke damage.
Brian McNichol, who owns the Pita Pit next door, returned to his store Saturday morning to clean up. “There could be chemicals from the smoke because the store was completely engulfed in smoke. There’s a lot of soot everywhere, on everything that was not sealed… and [the food is] going to have to be thrown out.”
“You never know what kind of by-product you have in that smoke [as it] travels through the building,” said Platoon Chief Ken Lumgair. “Even if you go through the buildings and you wipe down some of the countertops.”
The owner of Kiddie Kobbler said the store had been her "heart and soul" since opening 2 ½ years ago.
Officials say the blaze caused $750,000 in damages.
The fire is not considered suspicious but the cause is still unknown.
