No injuries reported after smoky fire breaks out at Ajax shopping plaza

No one was injured after a smoky fire broke out early Monday morning at a shopping plaza in downtown Ajax.

The Town of Ajax said the local fire department responded to a call for service at 2 a.m. at 170 Commercial Ave., which is south of Highway 401 and west of Harwod Road South. A business named Ajax Textile Corp. is located at that address.

Durham Regional Police said at about 1:45 a.m. members of West Division responded to an assist fire call in that area.

There, officers located an industrial building that was on fire with a large amount of smoke emanating within, police told CTV News Toronto.

“Officers attended the scene to assist with traffic control,” police said.

The Town of Ajax said the scene is now under control and an active investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the fire.

The municipality could not say if this incident is being investigated criminally.

In a written statement, Ajax Mayor Shaun Collier extended his “sincere thanks” to Ajax Fire and Emergency Services, Pickering Fire Services, Durham Regional Police Service, Region of Durham Paramedic Services, and Durham Region Transit “for their swift, professional and coordinated response to the early morning fire at the Ajax Plaza.”

“Ajax is fortunate to be supported by such outstanding emergency services, and I thank them for their continued service to our community,” Collier wrote.

The Office of the Fire Marshall is now investigating.