A section of downtown Peterborough remains closed following a late night rooftop fire on Thursday.
Firefighters were called to a commercial building on George St. North around 11 p.m. and remained overnight fighting the fire which filled the downtown core with thick smoke.
Several people were forced from the building which also houses a couple of small businesses – Ash Naylor Photography and soap store Simple.
Peterborough Fire Services Chief Chris Snetsinger said up to 30 firefighters endured high winds but managed to keep the flames from spreading to other nearby buildings. Crews used four pumpers and an aerial truck activated to fight the blaze for several hours.
Other challenges for firefighters included a partial roof collapse plus the fact the building is compromised of many small spaces, Snetsinger said
No one was injured and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. A damage estimate has yet to be determined.
“At this time the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature,” said Peterborough Police Services Sgt. Mike Jackson.
George Street is closed between Brock and Simcoe streets.
More to come.