Orillia shop devastated by fire days before official opening

Orillia business owners are stepping up to help after a destructive fire at a candle shop just days away from opening.

The fire broke out on Monday morning in the basement of the building on Mississaga Street in the city's downtown.

"Everything I was going to sell I was making in the back for the past five months," said Suje Torres as she surveyed the damage on Wednesday.

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Fire crews were able to contain the fire, but the damage had been done.

"We rushed here as fast as we could," Torres said. "We just saw all the damage."

To help Torres, several business owners have offered space in their stores for her product.

"What a few of the businesses have done is offer to sell her products, do pop-ups with her in hopes she can recoup some revenue. It is a total devastation of a loss for her. I couldn't even imagine," said Melanie Robinson, Eclectic Cafe and Catering.

"Seeing that happen to a local business is heartbreaking, really, we just had to clean up, so if we can help her, that's what we want to do," noted Tiffany Andrus, Tiffany's Hair and Co.

Several adjacent businesses sustained smoke damage from Monday's fire.

"We can't sell things that smell like smoke, so we're going to have to either dispose or decontaminate every item of clothing that was in her at the time of the fire," said Lora Connor, Coach House Kids store owner.

Connor, who just opened the second-hand children's clothing store in January, hopes to reopen soon.