A building in downtown St. Thomas that’s been around for 140 years, which used to house a restaurant, gym, and apartments, will have to be demolished after a fire broke out Thursday morning, according to the local fire department.
The alarm was raised just before 7 a. m., and firefighters arrived within six minutes to start battling the blaze, said Dave Gregory, chief of the St. Thomas Fire Department.
“At that point, they went into rescue mode,” he said. “There were people trying to get out.”
The firefighters utilized ground ladders to save two individuals from windows on the upper floors facing the street, Gregory shared, and assisted other residents in getting out safely using the fire escapes at the back of the structure.
In a social media update early Thursday evening, fire officials noted that at least seven individuals sought treatment at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital for smoke inhalation and minor injuries. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries reported; however, several pets did not survive the fire, according to their post.
At least nine people have been displaced due to this incident, as mentioned by Kim Destun, St. Thomas’s fire prevention officer. This count does not include those from two nearby buildings who also had to leave temporarily.
The Canadian Red Cross and Victim Services Elgin are providing support for those affected by this event, Destun noted.
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Emergency crews are working to put out a fire along the 500-block of Talbot Street in downtown St. Thomas. (Submitted by Guy Mc Gregor)
The family of one student from Monsignor Morrison Catholic Elementary School is among those affected by the fire. The school quickly organized a donation drive for them.
“Unfortunately, the family has lost literally everything. But they are safe; they are healthy. And they are doing well,” said Emily Butler, the school’s principal. “Our community is just rallying around the family to try to support them.”
The school office is collecting gift cards until Friday evening; Butler mentioned that many have already started coming in and she managed to deliver some donations to the family on Thursday.
<The cause of this fire hasn’t been determined yet either; Gregory confirmed there’s currently no damage estimate available.
The 500-block section of Talbot Street stayed closed Thursday evening as work continued on-site. A few nearby streets including Mondamin, Hiawatha, and Curtis streets also faced closures. “Talbot St. would remain closed through Friday while efforts were made to ensure safety against potential collapse,” stated an online post from .
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No Suspicion Around Fire Cause
Due to significant structural damage caused by the flames, Gregory stated that demolition must take place right away. Work began that afternoon with crews being cautious not to harm adjacent buildings. This building was built in 1882, according to Gregory. The ground floor previously housed Lucky Kitchen Buffet along with a gym facility. “It’s not being considered suspicious,” Destun remarked. “The investigation is ongoing but (it) looks like it may have started in the restaurant area.” Yurek Pharmacy & Home Healthcare sits right next door; while it remains intact since it’s in a separate building, it closed for business that day. The extent of damage was unclear based on an update provided by its owners on Thursday.<The cause of this fire hasn’t been determined yet either; Gregory confirmed there’s currently no damage estimate available.
The 500-block section of Talbot Street stayed closed Thursday evening as work continued on-site. A few nearby streets including Mondamin, Hiawatha, and Curtis streets also faced closures. “Talbot St. would remain closed through Friday while efforts were made to ensure safety against potential collapse,” stated an online post from .
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