Kingston Police, Ontario Fire Marshal investigating Portsmouth Avenue fire

The investigation into a fire that broke out over Labour Day weekend on Portsmouth Avenue continues, with Kingston Police and the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal assisting.

At approximately 1:14 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, Kingston Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to a structure fire on the south end of Portsmouth Avenue, near St. Lawrence College and King Street West.

“On arrival, firefighters observed smoke and flames at the rear area of the property. The fire was brought under control in under 10 minutes,” Kingston Fire & Rescue said in response to Kingstonist inquiries.

“No occupants were present at the time of the fire.”

While the fire was quickly put out, that doesn’t mean the damages caused by it were minor – nor that firefighters were only on scene for a short time. In fact, Kingston Fire & Rescue crews remained on scene for nearly five hours. The following day, Kingston Fire & Rescue, Kingston Police, and the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal were all on scene carrying out the investigation. For their part, Kingston Police confirmed they are assisting the local fire department in its investigation, noting that despite the presence of police vehicles marked ‘Forensic Unit,’ no one was injured or killed in the fire, as was speculated online.

“We are assisting in the investigation into the cause of the fire,” Constable Anthony Colangeli, Media Relations Officer with Kingston Police, said in an email to Kingstonist.

According to Kingston Fire & Rescue, the costs associated with the damages due to the fire are estimated at $50,000.