Demolition work is still underway to give firefighters access to the downtown Orillia building that was set ablaze Tuesday morning.
Once safe access is possible, firefighters will extinguish any remaining hot spots in the building, though Orillia Fire Chief Chris Ferry said he is unsure of the exact timeline.
“It could be later today, or it could be tomorrow,” he told OrilliaMatters.
“We just have to wait for the demolition company to get … an access point for us down to ground level, and then we’ll be able to see in the building and make sure all the hot spots are extinguished, and then we will be done from a fire standpoint.”
The following video is from D & J’s Video Productions/Justin Mercer.
Once the fire is extinguished, city officials said a structural engineer will determine next steps to ensure the building and area are safe.
Mayor Don McIsaac said the site will be secured over the coming days.
“Once the fire is out, obviously, we need to make sure the site is secure, and they’ll get that done in the next several days,” said McIsaac.
Given the damage, the mayor suspects the building will need to be completely demolished.
“At this point, it’s very unfortunate the historic building looks like it will have to be torn down and cannot be saved,” he said. “My understanding is the second floor and the roof have collapsed, and the structural integrity of the building has been lost, so it’s just not safe.”
Five local businesses were directly affected by the fire, which resulted in a total loss of the 130-year-old building at Peter and Mississaga streets.
On Wednesday morning, Orillia OPP announced the fire is now subject to a criminal investigation after police obtained footage showing someone lighting a small fire that “spread quickly.”
The following video is from D & J’s Video Productions/Justin Mercer.
