Early-morning house fire in Oro-Medonte destroys two unoccupied homes in new development

Fire officials are investigating a pair of houses in Oro-Medonte that were engulfed in flames.

Emergency crews were called to an early-morning house fire located in a new development in Oro-Medonte Tuesday.

Just after 6 a.m., emergency teams responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting a structure fire at an unoccupied home in a development on Bass Lake Side Road West.

Upon arrival, firefighters told CTV News they found a residence fully involved, with flames already spreading to a neighbouring unoccupied home that was still under construction.

Crews initiated operations, focusing on protecting nearby exposures while carrying out defensive actions on the primary home.

A total of six apparatus and 20 firefighters were on scene.

Due to the scale of the incident, an aerial truck was requested from Springwater. Oro-Medonte’s Fire Chief Roree Payment says firefighting efforts were further complicated by the fact that the subdivision has not yet been assumed, requiring crews to dig out fire hydrants before they could be accessed.

Officials say the Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, as crews continue to extinguish hot spots.

Orillia’s Major Crime Unit and Forensic Identification Services have been notified and are currently investigating.

The affected properties are believed to be valued at over $1 million.