Officials aren’t sure what exactly caused a fire in a large, unoccupied building at the former Huronia Regional Centre property on Memorial Avenue Friday night.
Orillia Fire Chief Brent Thomas said security personnel on site noticed smoke pouring out of Building 17, a structure behind the OPP cadet dorms, and called the fire department.
“On arrival, fire crews found a large building full of smoke,” Thomas told OrilliaMatters.
“On investigation, an electrical fire was discovered.”
To ensure the fire was not smouldering within the walls, crews had to “check in some of the walls for fire extension,” Thomas explained.
The firefighters also had to clear smoke from the building and an underground access way.
Thomas estimates damage at about $50,000, but said smoke damage may push that number higher.
He said it’s “difficult to anticipate (damage) as building renovations are scheduled to start in the building soon.”
At the height of the incident, there were four Orillia fire trucks on scene in addition to three tankers - one each from Rama, Ramara and Oro-Medonte Townships.
The tankers were called in because several hydrants on the sprawling property “do not have enough water pressure for firefighting,” explained Thomas, noting there is an “auto aid agreement that in the event of any possible or confirmed fire, we automatically dispatch the three closest tankers from surrounding municipalities.”
Infrastructure Ontario, a crown agency, is responsible for the property that was once home to the HRC. Now, the OPP uses parts of the complex for its training program. There is also an Ontario Court of Justice that operates there.
While Thomas said it was determined to be an electrical fire, he was unable to pinpoint what caused the fire to start. However, he said it was not suspicious.
Because Orillia Fire “was able to determine the cause, the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office will not be investigating.”
Nobody was injured as a result of the fire.
