Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services responded to two separate calls in the Jamestown area early Wednesday, including what appeared to be a couch on fire and a barbeque fire involving improper materials at a vacant building on Queen Street West.
Firefighters extinguished what appeared to be a couch on fire about 3 a.m. on Wednesday.
Then at about 9 a.m., firefighters responded to a barbeque fire and burning of improper materials at a vacant building a few doors east at 569 Queen St. W., the former Beaver Hotel.
A by-law order dated June 6 posted to the building notes it is unsecure and the city will correct the violations at the expense of the owners.
"There were no witnesses to either of these fires and no injuries to report. We did not perform a fire investigation at either of these incidents," said Aaron Gravelle, public education officer with Sault Fire Services.
Asked why there was no investigation, Gravelle said: "The couch fire, there was not much left upon our arrival, that is why it was stated 'what appeared to be a couch on fire' — as there was nothing really left, therefore there was nothing to investigate.
"The BBQ fire we knew the origin and cause. In both cases we had no witnesses as well."
Gravelle said firefighters also responded to another fire later in the day.
"We had a call of a vehicle fire on Wednesday, July 8, later in the afternoon, in the 300 block of Albert Street W. — there was no fire upon our arrival," he said.
The call came in just after 3:30 p.m in the area of Albert Street West, near Huron Street and Toronto Street.
"There appeared to be minimal damage to the vehicle," said Lincoln Louttit, manager of corporate communications with Sault Police.
Gravelle provided information about another fire, in the Winners Plaza, that happened on Sunday shortly before 3 a.m.
"There was a large pile of contents on fire outside near a building. We were able to contain and extinguish the fire. There were no injuries. Police were called and attended the scene," Gravelle said.
Original story below:
Two recent small fires in different parts of the city are not currently under investigation, a Sault Police spokesperson says.
Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services responded to a burning couch on Queen Street West in the Jamestown neighbourhood at about 1 a.m. this morning, said a witness at the scene.
At around 10:30 a.m., firefighters were on scene at a vacant building a few doors east of where the couch was on fire. It's unclear if there was a second fire or if the two incidents are unrelated.
SooToday is awaiting a response from Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services for more information.
Evidence of a third fire is visible behind the Winners plaza on Northern Avenue at Great Northern Road.
Scorched grass and remains of burned material were visible this morning, along with black marks up the side of the building. Its unclear when the fire occurred, but it was likely from the past few days.
In an email, Sault Police spokesperson Lincoln Louttit said "we are not currently investigating any fires at those locations."
SooToday has reached out to the owner of the plaza, Plaza REIT, for more information.