Hamilton police report that a fire in Stoney Creek early Thursday morning, which caused damage estimated to exceed $2 million, is being treated as suspicious.
Firefighters from Hamilton discovered the source of the smoke just before 3:30 a. m., at the Roua plus Food Mart located in the plaza at 140 Centennial Pkwy. North.
“We had a well and involved fire in one of the units – the food store,” said Hamilton Fire Chief David Cunliffe.
“Crews quickly made entry into the store and started initial interior attack. When they went in the building they were met with heavy smoke, a large amount of flame and extreme heat.”
Cunliffe stated that as firefighters advanced deeper into the store, they encountered partial roof collapse.
An extensive overhaul of the market was necessary to put out hot spots that kept flaring up.
They managed to take control of the fire, keeping it confined to the food market unit. Fortunately, there are no injuries reported so far.
“We’re estimating it to be at least a couple of million dollars in damage – that is an estimate and we could believe it could go higher depending on the level of damage to the rest of the stores,” said Cunliffe.
The Hamilton Fire chief noted that significant fire damage occurred inside and on the roof area of the unit housing the food market. Nearby units have also suffered substantial water and smoke damage.
A statement from Cunliffe later indicated that damages for both this unit and its neighbors are expected to exceed $2 million.
The Hamilton police will continue overseeing control of the scene.
The Hamilton Fire Department will stay on-site performing a fire watch.
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A local resident from Stoney Creek witnessed large flames and thick smoke pouring out from Roua plus Food Market overnight, leaving many in shock about this cherished grocery store.
“It’s just heartbreaking that it caught fire. The people who own it have brought great business for the community,” said one resident.
“They were doing great business. Since last year and they just opened up a restaurant inside, I was there last week,” said another bystander.
Hamilton police confirm there have been no arrests made nor suspects identified yet.
“BEAR unit was activated to attend to investigate. Through our investigation and processing the scene, we’ve determined this is a suspicious fire and we’re classifying it as an arson,” said Det. Greg Blunsdon with Hamilton Police.
This afternoon, employees along with neighboring businesses are left sorting through what remains. Hamilton firefighters confirmed that damages are extensive and costs are likely in millions.
The plaza also houses a coffee shop, a walk-in clinic, and Big Al’s Pet Supercentres which has various small animals like parrots, ferrets, and fish.
“It was heart warming to know that all of our animals are alive. While we’re trying to do some cleanup, we still have no power, no water, no electricity, no gas. So we’re not sure when we’ll be able to reopen; it will take some work to get things restored,” said Mario Visca, Owner of Big Al’s Pet Supercentres.
Visca mentioned he spoke with Roua plus owners who were deeply upset about what happened.
“I saw the fire this morning on Facebook and just came over to make sure all the animals were okay,” said Chris Shantz, an employee at Big Al’s Pet Supercentres.
According to Big Al’s Pet Supercentres’ statement, their business was affected by smoke damage and will remain closed until further notice. Thankfully, none of their animals were injured or impacted during this incident.
If anyone has video footage or relevant information regarding this fire is encouraged to reach out to authorities.
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