No one was injured as fire tore through a building housing a business and apartment in downtown Norwood on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out around 1:30 p.m. at the building at 2367 County Road 45 which houses Meljesnic Computer Solutions, a computer supply and repair store, and an apartment on the second floor. The building is just off Highway 7 in the heart of the village about 30 kilometres east of Peterborough.
Thick smoke filled the area and flames could be seen coming from the second floor.
Asphodel-Norwood Township fire chief Darryl Payne tells Global News the first crew on scene noticed flames on the right side of the building.
“They did an exterior attack and knocked that down from the outside,” he said. “When the second crew arrived, we went through the back and did an interior attack to knock down the blaze.”
Payne said the owner of the apartment also owns the business and was downstairs when the fire broke out. He got out safely.
The adjoinnig dog grooming business – Do’s for Dogs at 2365 County Road 45 – was evacuated as a precaution, which included dogs and the owner, Payne said.
The Peterborough County-City Disaster Trust Fund is on scene to provide assistance, Payne noted.
Firefighters remain on scene. The fire was reported to be under control around 2:20 p.m.
Payne said the cause of the fire and a damage estimate have yet to be determined.
A section of County Road 45 between Hwy. 7 and Spring Street was closed but reopened around 5:30 p.m. One fire truck remained at the scene and the building is cordoned off with caution tape.
It’s the second major fire in four months as a Nov. 4 fire broke out at a building housing an upper level apartment complex and lower-level Home Hardware store just metres away. That blaze displaced five tenants in second-floor apartment units.
More to come.
November 2019 fire coverage: