Investigators hunt for answers after OPP fire
Waterlogged building in Cambridge called ‘a writeoff’
Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, Cambridge Fire Department and the Ontario Provincial Police combed through the wreckage of the Cambridge OPP detachment building on Wednesday, trying to determine the cause of Tuesday’s blaze and salvage what they could.
“The building is a writeoff,” said chief investigator Manny Garcia.
“The roof is gone. There’s about 18 inches of water in the basement, and a lot of water damage on the main floor. The big thing is everyone got out all right.”
Garcia praised the work of the Cambridge Fire Department. “They did an amazing job. We have a lot to work with here.”
Although the investigation is in its early stages, Garcia said, the cause of the fire, which caused more than $1 million in damage, may be accidental.
At the time of the fire, maintenance work was taking place on a diesel generator at the back of the building.
“The building is 32 years old,” Garcia said.
“The building was being worked on, and something went wrong. We still haven’t determined what happened. All we know is that the detachment commander noticed smoke coming down the hall and evacuated the building.”
During the blaze, there was concern weapons and ammunition stored in a locker might be affected by the heat from the fire. After the fire, OPP officers entered the building and secured the contents of that locker, which was in the basement.
For Const. Lauren Ball, and the other members of the Cambridge detachment, the fire was devastating.
“It’s been surreal. This place has been like a second home for us, and now it’s gone,” she said.
“I was down in the basement and there is no light. It’s pitch black. There is water on the floor, and it’s all black, and there is water dripping from the ceiling. I saw my office. It’s weird how some place so familiar can seem so unfamiliar.”
Despite the fire, the detachment continues to operate. A temporary command post has been set up in the parking lot, but senior OPP staff are still working out the details of a contingency plan. For now, the local detachment is camped out with the Milton detachment, at 203 Steeles Ave. E. The contact number for the detachment is 905-878-2307.
Asked if the building will be rebuilt, Ball said, “I would be shocked if it isn’t,” noting the Cambridge facility was already on a long list of detachments scheduled for eventual replacement.
“My guess would be we’ll be moving up that list now, but that decision is way above my level,” she said.