Property damaged in Ajax Plaza fire to be demolished

A smoky fire broke out at a shopping plaza in Ajax on Feb. 2.

Ajax’s Chief Building Official has issued an Emergency Order for the demolition of a property that caught fire earlier this month at a downtown shopping plaza.

A smoky fire broke out on Feb. 2 at Ajax Plaza, at 226 Harwood Ave. S., south of Highway 401.

Ajax Fire and Emergency Services said they responded to a structure fire at that address at around 2 a.m. that day.

• READ MORE: No injuries reported after smoky fire breaks out at Ajax shopping plaza

‘Structural integrity' compromised: town

“A structural assessment has determined that the fire severely compromised the building’s structural integrity, making demolition necessary for public safety,” the town said in a Feb. 15 news release.

Demolition is set to get underway on Monday at 7:30 a.m. and will last for about a week, it said.

A third-party demolition company has been hired to manage and undertake this work and a site engineer will be on hand to oversee the demolition and associated safety measures, including noise and dust reduction, the town said.

“The demolition area will be clearly marked and fenced off to ensure safety,” the release said.

Local businesses as well as roads, parking, or entrances shouldn’t be disrupted by the demolition, the Town of Ajax said, and no business will be required to vacate.

Burned-out property under receivership

The Town said the business that burned down is one of several properties in the Ajax Plaza currently under receivership, adding that a court-appointed receiver is overseeing the management of these properties until a final decision on ownership is made by the courts.