A Brampton man is under arrest following a Tuesday morning building fire in downtown Orillia.
Ontario Provincial Police said officers and fire crews were called just before 7:30 a.m. to a fire at a building on Peter St. S. which housed several businesses.
Due to the fire spreading throughout the building, police shut down roads and businesses in the area.
Cold weather, which created icy conditions, and high winds made fighting the fire more difficult, city officials said.
Orillia Fire Chief Chris Ferry said the buildings in the area posed “unique challenges due to their age and proximity to one another.”
The blaze caused significant damage to the building after the roof collapsed, requiring fire crews to battle the flames from the exterior.
The contents of the building, which housed Three Birds Salon, Dr. Comics, and Kelly’s Clothing, was completely destroyed.
On Wednesday, OPP charged Brandon Costa, 35, with one count of arson – disregard for human life.
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Mayor Don McIsaac called the fire “devastating” for local businesses and residents.
“The buildings in this area are more than a century old and hold special significance for our city as homes and workplaces,” he said in a statement. “While we are grateful no injuries have been reported so far, this remains an active and ongoing situation.”
Crews have been on site since Tuesday to ensure there are no hotspots or flareups.
On Thursday, the city said the site remains active and hazardous and asks the public to obey all road signs and closures, and to stay in pedestrian-access areas.
Structural engineers and Orillia’s Chief Building Official will soon determine whether what’s left of the building needs to be demolished.