Woman, 35, suspected of arson that caused $500,000 damage to Barrie home
Homeowners in a south-end Barrie neighbourhood were drawn from their homes by the sound of an explosion followed by emergency fire sirens Thursday night.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The Deputy Chief of Communications for Barrie Fire and Emergency Service, Carrie Clark, said five units responded to the attached townhomes shortly after 11 p.m.
The garage of one of the units on Black Cherry Cres was on fire and spreading to an adjoining unit.
Emergency crews attend a fire at a townhome on Black Cherry Crescent in Barrie, Ont., on Thurs., April 20, 2023. (Courtesy: Michael Chorney/At the Scene Photography)
Clark said a large number of combustibles in the garage of the home fueled the stubborn fire.
While emergency officials fielded several 911 calls about the fire, the homeowner of the adjoining home gathered his family and evacuated from the back of their property.
Once the family was safe, he alerted other neighbours to the fire, urging them to safety. Clark says several pets were rescued as well.
A fire damaged a townhome on Black Cherry Crescent in Barrie, Ont., on Thurs., April 20, 2023. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)
The home the fire started in suffered significant damage, with the unit's interior laid bare to the elements. One adjoining unit is considered unliveable as the fire had spread to the shared wall.
The damage from the fire is being pegged at half a million dollars.
Fire crews cleared the scene around 3 a.m., and Barrie Police held the scene overnight for the Ontario Fire Marshal to arrive and begin their investigation Friday.
The fire has since been deemed arson.
Police say they identified the suspect as a 35-year-old woman of no fixed address. They are trying to locate her to "hold her accountable for her actions."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
'Oh, there you go': Tyler Black, son of veteran broadcaster Rod Black, has memorable Major League Baseball debut
Canadian baseball player Tyler Black made a major splash in his first-ever big league game for the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Groundbreaking American guitarist Duane Eddy dies age 86
Guitarist Duane Eddy, best known for twangy riffs on hits such as 'Rebel Rouser' and 'Cannonball,' has died at the age of 86.
Facial reconstruction reveals what a 40-something Neanderthal woman may have looked like
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.
Weight-loss drug Wegovy available in Canada starting May 6
The makers of Ozempic say their weight-loss drug Wegovy will be available to patients in Canada starting Monday.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Ontario man loses $1,500 applying for Nexus cards on social media
The trusted traveller program between Canada and the United States is extremely popular and almost two million Canadians have a Nexus card.