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Fire marshal will not be investigating blaze that destroyed unfinished housing units in Hamilton

Ontario's Office of the Fire Marshal will not be investigating the cause of a large fire which destroyed 23 homes under construction on the east Mountain July 11, 2022. Hamilton Fire

The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) says it will not be investigating the cause of a large east Hamilton Mountain blaze Monday that destroyed 23 homes under construction.

Spokesperson Sean Driscoll told Global News in an email on Wednesday that the probe will not proceed since “there is no reasonable prospect of an origin or cause determination.”

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The blaze, which is estimated to have caused at least $10 million in total damage, forced police to close off the Upper Red Hill Valley Parkway between Rymal Road and Highland Road West for hours at the Central Park development.

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Close to 70 firefighters battled the blaze for about 45 minutes, targeting flames on balconies to avoid spread into nearby homes.

Hamilton fire Chief Dave Cunliffe said the fire was so hot that siding on some of the new homes melted and windows broke from the heat.

A total of 23 unfinished units were destroyed and 12 occupied homes suffered heat damage.

No injuries were reported.

Residents in a number of occupied homes in the area were allowed to return Monday night.

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