A large commercial building off the highway in Oro-Medonte became fully engulfed in flames Wednesday evening. Just after 6 p.m., fire crews received a number of 911 calls reporting smoke seen billowing out of the top of a commercial building on Highway 11 near Line 7, home to several small businesses. Many of the retailers have been affected by the fire including North Country Floor, The Schnitzel Haus, Outdoor Pizza Oven, Unique Sleep Solutions Inc., Liquigator Oro, Bateman Fine Cabinetry, ScaleUp Spaces, Canada Post and Bait & Tackle. According to Oro-Medonte Fire Chief Roree Payment, the fire appeared to have started on the roof and crews got to work in what he calls an “aggressive attack.” “There was roof work being done and it is been suspected that that is the cause of the fire,” Payment tells CTV News. He says to put out the blaze, they had 20 firetrucks and 65 apparatuses. Oro-Medonte fire crews had assistance from Orillia Fire and Severn Fire and the team was able to put out the fire within a couple of hours, but Payment says crews stayed overnight to ensure the fire was fully extinguished. There were no hydrants in the area so all the water that firefighters used was from what they brought in and tanker trucks. Luckily, the building was empty at the time of the fire and there were no injuries. Extent of damage The entry way and roof were damaged but Payment says crews were able to contain the fire to those areas. A lot of the businesses weren’t impacted by fire but more water and smoke damage and some businesses “remain untouched.” In a post on social media, Unique Sleep says its showroom has had significant water and smoke damage. Bateman Fine Cabinetry, while its showroom and offices have had significant water and smoke damage, the manufacturing shop and everything inside look to have only been slightly affected by the fire. Canada Post confirmed to CTV News that regular mail delivery did not take place on Thursday but that it was “making every effort to deliver parcels and packages.” Todd Bossie from Liquigator says the store has around $600,000 to $700,000 in inventory and is waiting to see what survived the fire. Many of the businesses are closed until further notice as crews assess the damage. He says the damage to his property is “nothing” compared to what other businesses in the building have experienced. Jessica Knowles, the executive director of the Oro-Medonte Chamber of Commerce says she is reeling from the news. She says it’s “devastating for the community” and many of the businesses affected are family-owned. “This couldn’t have come at a worse time as this is a very impactful time of year during one of the busiest times of year,” Knowles says. “We just recovered from the ice storm, so this is just another insult to injury.” Building significance Payment says the building holds significance for the community. “This building means a lot of things to a lot of different people and it’s something of a fixture in the community despite the fact that the businesses have changed hands a few times within the building itself, it is a long-standing building within the municipality,” Payment says. One of those people is Allan Ham, owner of Outdoor Pizza Ovens, one of the businesses affected by the fire. CTV News caught up with Ham while he waits to hear from the fire department about when he can go back into the building. “I have to commend the firefighters,” Ham says. “They’ve worked tirelessly into the night. If it wasn’t for them, this building wouldn’t be here today. It’s like a landmark.” He says all of the business owners are close-knit. “We all know each other - we’re like a big family here. And we’re all supportive of each other.” He tells CTV News the fire is like nothing he’s seen before. “it’s unbelievable. I’ve never seen a fire like that up close and in person,” Ham says. While crews believe the fire was started in the roof, Payment says the team will confirm that as they continue the investigation Thursday and remain on scene.
