Niagara police are investigating the cause of the Glencairn Hall fire in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which began the early hours of Wednesday morning and resulted in the total loss of the historic home, as “suspicious” in nature.
“The fire is believed to be suspicious,” wrote Const. Philip Gavin with the Niagara Regional Police in a written interview with The Lake Report.
Detectives and fire marshals are working to determine what caused the fire and where in the home it started, but due to extensive structural damage, they’re taking precautions as the site is considered unsafe and could collapse.
At this time, the cost of the damages is unknown.
Police and firefighters responded to the blaze at the unoccupied 1832 NOTL home on April 16 at 4:39 a.m., where the structure at 14795 Niagara River Pkwy. was fully engulfed in flames, according to an April 18 news release by the Niagara Regional Police.
It was declared under control by 6:57 a.m.
“It is a total loss,” said Jim Kettles, operations manager for Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal, in an interview.
“If you were just to look at the front, you would think, ‘Oh, they might be able to save it.’ Everything else behind it is gone,” he said.
Nothing was removed from the site and all the parts of the building that were dismantled have been left there.
A photo by neighbour Doug Munkley showed a red gas can at the scene.
“The gas can in the photo you have provided is an element of that suspicion,” wrote Gavin.
The investigation is being led by the Office of the Fire Marshal, with support from Niagara police.
The Town of NOTL is not in charge of investigating the fire scene, according to an April 18 news release from the municipality.
Property records show the nearly three-acre Glencairn Hall was purchased for $6 million on Oct. 15, 2024.
The ownership of the property was registered to a numbered company, 1001021589 Ontario Corp., which was incorporated on Sept. 30, 2024.
Provincial records show the sole director of that numbered company is Scott Cameron Corbett.
The head office of the business is registered as 62 Marine Parade Dr., Unit 4, Toronto.
Gavin confirmed the owner is aware of the fire at the property, which received heritage designation in April 2024.
The release states that the scene is being held for ongoing investigation, pending an assessment of the home’s structure integrity post-fire. Kettles said the investigation could take anywhere from several days to several months.
“There’s all kinds of hazards right now,” Kettles said, adding that the structure is “basically in a dangerous state.”
“We’re just dealing with some issues regarding possible structural collapse,” said Jill Carter with the Office of the Fire Marshal in an interview.
Heavy equipment is assisting in making the site safe, including a backhoe, said Kettles.
“That’s common, just because the structure is compromised,” he said, adding that there is no concern regarding the noise of the equipment possibly disturbing nearby residents.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact investigators at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009524.
Tips can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information that leads to an arrest.