Residents won't be moving back to their apartments anytime soon as the investigation continues at a Bradford building where a fire occurred on the fifth floor of the 84-unit structure earlier this week.
Emergency crews responded to the scene at 114 Holland St. W. just before 2 p.m., Monday. Eleven people were taken to hospital. On Tuesday, three residents were listed in serious condition and one was in critical condition. There was no update on their conditions Wesnesday.
Larry Brassard, operations manager with the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM), said an experienced team has been assembled that will thoroughly examine the scene over the next few days.
"It's going to be a painstaking process," he said. "This is a very serious fire, so we are pulling out all the stops to make sure this investigation is thorough and complete."
There is significant structural damage compared to what Brassard said he has seen before, but added it's premature to speculate on the cause of the fire at this time.
"Our investigators are trained to keep their mind wide open to all the possibilities... and prove through a scientific method exactly how this fire started," he said.
Engineers have conducted their survey and formulated a detailed plan to shore up the structure.
"We can commence with that shoring, which we are hoping will be completed today and will put us on the path of having the fire inspectors' work completed toward the end of the week," said Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire Chief Jim Kay. "We are hoping the fire marshal's office can complete their work so we can get onto the restoration piece."
Kay said there's no reason to believe there's any criminal element to the fire.
The area where the fire began has not been accessed yet due to the shoring required to make the building safe.
"It is a very complicated and calculated detail that does require a structural engineer. They are formulating that and building it by hand," Kay said.
Most of the fire damage occurred on the fifth and sixth floors. There is also extensive water damage on the floors below due to firefighting water and melted pipes.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families," Kay said of those injured in the fire.
All 110 residents from the 84 units have been accounted for and are either staying with family and friends, or at a hotel.
Most pets have been reunited with their owners, but unfortunately, some did not make it.
Kay says it will be at several days until they will be able to determine which part of the building residents can access.
"We are hoping that two weeks there will be some normality to maybe part of the building. A lot of that depends, though, on the structural integrity," he said. "It's an estimation of when some of the folks can go back in to obtain their personal property."
Brassard commended emergency services personnel for how they handled the blaze.
"I really have to give a shout-out to them for their professionalism and their diligence in this case. It's been a model for other public service agencies to follow," he said.
The town has established a dedicated phone line for displaced residents. They can call 905-775-5366, Ext. 0, for assistance and to be connected with support including the Red Cross and County social services.
