Collingwood firefighters remain on the scene this morning at Sporting Life after a fire Monday evening burned through the night, destroying the building and the stock inside.
Collingwood Fire Chief Ross Parr said the call came in at about 5:54 p.m. He said staff at Sporting Life, which is a retail store selling outdoor clothing and sportswear, noticed a fire and tried to put it out with three fire extinguishers, but were unsuccessful.
Fire crews arrived to see heavy smoke and flames coming from the Hurontario Street building.
There were no injuries, as staff were able to safely evacuate the building.
Firefighters who worked on the blaze all night also remain uninjured.
The fire burned all night long, and crews remain on site with a ladder truck this morning, watching for hot spots and possible flare-ups.
Parr said his team had just put the fire out at about 8 a.m., Tuesday.
The flat roof and brick wall on the south side of the building is destroyed, leaving the inside open to the elements. The rest of the building is coated in black fire and smoke damage.
Parr said there's extensive structural damage to the building and it cannot be salvaged.
Parr has called the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) to investigate.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but it started and burned hottest at the back of the store on the south side of the building.
Last night, crews battled the blaze from all angles, including from a ladder truck stretched out above the roof.
The Clearview Township Fire Department supplied extra air tanks for the Collingwood crews working on the fire.
