Fire at business near Sturgeon Falls, Ont., causes $700K in damage

A business in West Nipissing sustained $700,000 in damage Sunday morning. Fortunately, officials said there were no injuries.

A passing motorist alerted firefights to an early morning blaze on Highway 17 on Sunday morning near Sturgeon Falls.

West Nipissing Fire and Emergency Services responded to the fire around 7 a.m. at a business on the highway, fire chief Frank Loeffen said Monday.

Officials believe the fire started near the back of the building where there’s a body shop. Loeffen said the front of the building is an auto shop.

Tires were stored in between, complicating efforts to extinguish the fire.

Loeffen said three stations and 20 members fought the blaze. A tanker had to be brought in because there are no fire hydrants in the area.

Around 1 p.m., they were able to bring in an excavator to take down walls so they could extinguish hot spots.

There were no injuries and while the cause is still being investigated, Loeffen said they don’t believe it was suspicious.