A townhouse fire that sent two families scrambling to safety in Pickering early Tuesday has been deemed "suspicious."
No one was injured, but police and fire investigators are looking at whether the fire at 1615 Alwin Circle is linked to a nearby arson in a townhouse complex on Valley Farm Road last month.
Firefighters received a call about a deck fire at the townhouse near Brock and Kingston Roads at about 2:30 a.m., according to Pickering Deputy Fire Chief Jason Yoshiba.
Yoshiba said the fire is believed to have started somewhere in the area of a wooden porch between the townhouse and garage. The blaze then spread to a neighbouring unit.
One townhouse is destroyed and another, at 1613 Alwin Circle, is significantly damaged. A third to the north sustained heat damage to its exterior, he said.
"Some contents may be salvageable in the second unit," he said.
Damage is roughly estimated to be more than $1 million, he added.
All occupants escaped safely
When firefighters arrived on the scene, all occupants of the two townhouses had escaped safely outside.
Police said three people were living in the townhouse where the fire started, while five people were living in the home next door. The units shared a wall.
Firefighters had the fire under control by 6:30 a.m. They continue to work on hot spots, Yoshiba said.
"It's still under investigation. Yes, it's considered suspicious," he said. "There are lots of police on the scene."
Staff Sgt. Micah Wagenberg, duty inspector for Durham police, said one family is staying with another family, while the other family is staying in a hotel.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Wagenberg said Durham police's criminal investigation branch is investigating what may have caused the fire.
Officers are interviewing witnesses as they look for possible connections to arson at the Valley Farm Road fire. That fire, on Feb. 28, began at 1:20 a.m.
"At this point in time, we don't have any indication that they are connected. However, they are in proximity, so at this point, we will follow all leads," he said.
"At this time, we can't say. We're going to ask some questions as we do have some witnesses we want to get through."
Police believe the February fire may have started from a vehicle parked in the townhouse complex area. No arrests have been made.
Ontario's Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating Tuesday's fire.
Police said they are "holding the scene" as the fire marshal's office gathers evidence.
Link to original article in CBC News: Pickering townhouse fire deemed 'suspicious,' 2 families displaced, damage likely over $1M