The cause of a fire that tore through four townhouses in Kitchener has not been released, but officials said it is not considered suspicious. Firefighters were called to Activa Avenue near Fisher Hallman and Bleams Road just before 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 16. By the time crews arrived, the flames had already spread to four units. Some of the siding was burned or torn away, but most of the damage was to the roof of the townhouse block. Aerial photographs showed exposed attics, charred beams and collapsed sections of the roof. While no one was hurt, the families living in those four units were displaced. A neighbour told CTV News some of the family members have been staying at local motels or Airbnbs. “Importantly, all impacted units were equipped with working smoke alarms, serving as an important reminder that smoke alarms are one of the most effective safety tools available, giving occupants critical time to react and get to safety during an emergency,” a statement from Kitchener Fire said. On Monday, their public education team went door-to-door to speak with residents about the fire and share that safety reminder. Kitchener Fire has also said the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was not involved in their investigation. The early damage estimate was between $500,000 to $750,000.
