Careless smoking cited in downtown blaze
A careless smoker likely caused the blaze behind a downtown Windsor convenience store that brought the city’s core to a halt on Wednesday afternoon, say fire investigators.
According to Windsor Fire and Rescue Services, “careless disposal of smoking materials” sparked a fire that began around 2:45 p.m. in the alley behind Ray & Kim’s Super Convenience at 352 Ouellette Ave.
“We know that people go out in the back, in the alley, to smoke,” said Andrea DeJong, deputy chief of support services.
“What I found out from the owner of the building is that Wednesday is recycling day, so there’s a lot of paper and whatnot out there .... We have it on video. It shows somebody walking by, and you can see that they’re smoking.”
The incident shut down Ouellette Avenue between Park Street and University Avenue for several hours, and forced the evacuation of multiple buildings, including neighbouring businesses, the Canada Building and the offices of the Windsor Star.
A Windsor Star security camera recording shows men in hard hats walking through the alley. Smoke debris floats into camera view at the 2:47 p.m. mark. Within minutes, flames become visible on a pile of discarded paper products.
“You can see the actual pile that’s on camera catch fire,” DeJong said.
As for the individual who was smoking a cigarette, DeJong said: “He looked like one of the construction guys, to be quite honest with you.”
The old Windsor Armouries building, which is adjacent to the alley, is currently undergoing heavy renovation to become the University of Windsor’s new visual art and music facility.
DeJong said that, contrary to earlier suspicions, there is no evidence a gas leak was involved in the fire.
Although an intense flame could be seen shooting from a pipe in the alley at one point during the incident, chief fire prevention officer John Lee said this was due to the fire affecting a meter, and the shooting flame was the result of the equipment’s regulators doing their job.
“It was reported early on that some people had heard a loud bang,” DeJong said. “We had the TSSA (Technical Standards & Safety Authority) come down and work with Union Gas to do ground testing of all the gas lines and the gas equipment itself on the back of the building.”
“There was nothing. It tested out completely fine.”
DeJong said the dramatic shooting flame was “the gas equipment actually operating as it should .... If it over-pressurizes, there will be a release so that it doesn’t explode.”
An investigation by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office has been called off.
Damage has been estimated at $300,000, so far.
DeJong said the flames were completely contained to the convenience store, but La Casa Del Habano cigar shop at 358 Ouellette Ave. and Mazaar Restaurant at 372 Ouellette Ave. may have sustained additional smoke damage due to the nature of their businesses.