Fire destroys four townhouses under construction in Brantford

Investigators are working to determine the cause of an overnight fire that destroyed a row of townhomes being built in Brantford.

Early estimates peg the damage at just over $1 million.

Firefighters were called to the development on Birkett Lane near Erie Avenue around 12:20 a.m. Monday.

Jason Misener lives nearby and said he was woken up in the middle of the night by a knock at his back door.

“I come outside and see the sky lit up,” Misener said.

“The whole sky was orange… and it was hot.”

Misener rushed to his 90-year-old neighbour’s home.

About a block over, Brantford Fire crews were already in action.

“When they arrived on scene, the block of four townhouses behind us was fully involved,” Brantford Deputy Fire Chief Dwayne Armstrong said, speaking at the scene Monday.

Armstrong said the townhouses were unoccupied at the time and no injuries have been reported.

Four townhouses were reduced to rubble. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV Kitchener)

Fire crews were able to quickly stop the flames from spreading to adjacent properties.

Armstrong said Brantford Fire contacted the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) for help with the investigation, but the OFM declined based on the size of the fire.

Armstrong said whether the OFM takes on new investigations can depend on staffing and other investigations they have on the go.

On Monday afternoon, excavators began knocking down parts of the townhomes that can’t be salvaged.