A vacant constructing identified to be the house of vagrants in St. Thomas has gone up in flames.
On Monday night time round 11 p.m. the St. Thomas Fireplace Division was known as to an deserted constructing belonging to CN Rail on the north finish of St. Catharine Road.
“Flames were 20 feet in the sky,” stated David Silver Nebesniuk, a neighbour who known as 9-1-1. “When I came home, it look like sparks coming out of the side of the building, and then I saw the flames.”
Fire crews responded.
“It was fairly stable, but we had a water main break nearby which caused some water flow issues for our trucks, but they managed to get it out,” stated Kim Destun, chief hearth prevention officer for the town of St. Thomas. “Because it was a vacant building and all the hydro and everything was shut off, obviously it was an arson.”
Destun stated the constructing had an attic area which obtained the fireplace up, and it was troublesome to entry. They introduced within the aerial truck to knock the fireplace down.
CN Police is dealing with the investigation. Ontario Chronicle reached out to CN to find out the following steps, however we now have but to obtain a response.
Fireplace was set to an deserted constructing belonging to CN Rail in St. Thomas, Ont. (Supply: David Noseworthy)
This morning, hearth officers have been utilizing heavy gear to sift by way of the rubble.
“Because it was a stubborn fire, we had to bring the building down,” stated Destun. “We were just kind of going through because whoever set the fire could still be in there.”
Destun says she was instructed by CN Police that the constructing was simply days away from being knocked down.
Flames lit up the sky in St. Thomas on Monday June 24, 2024 after hearth was set to an deserted constructing belong to CN Rail in St. Thomas, Ont. (Supply: David Silver Nebesniuk).
Neighbours have been asking for it to be eliminated for a very long time.
“In their defense, like, they don’t have million people watching all their properties,” stated Silver Nebesniuk. “People have broke in there looking for the copper. I just heard, like, a couple nights ago, a couple people walking by talking about the air conditioner on top of it. I personally know people that have stayed in there to get out of the cold.”
One other neighbour instructed Ontario Chronicle they’re unhappy that that is the best way it got here down, however is completely satisfied the constructing is now gone.
