Rideau Street fire causes estimated $100k damages
A structure fire in downtown Kingston sent two people to hospital and resulted in an estimated $100,000 in damages, according to Kingston Fire and Rescue.
At approximately 8:24 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, Kingston Fire and Rescue were called to the 100 block of Rideau Street, where a two-storey residential building was actively on fire. Smoke had begun to linger in the street as firefighters arrived on scene, where smoke was billowing from the front of the building. Upon entering the building, Kingston Fire and Rescue found heavy smoke and high heat conditions, indicating an active fire.
Fire crews worked to quickly close off Rideau Street while working to knock down the fire. According to Kingston Fire and Rescue, the fire was extinguished quickly, and firefighters were then able to move on to ventilating the building and monitoring for hot spots. The vast majority of the work was done inside an hour, with Kingston Fire and Rescue and Frontenac Paramedics remaining on scene.
“Two individuals were transported to hospital for precautionary measures,” Kingston Fire and Rescue said on Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. No injuries were sustained as a result of the fire.
Firefighters work to enter the residence as smoke billows out from behind the door and emergency lights illuminate the houses. Quick work and preparation come into play as fire hoses run up the stairs into the home, and a fan is positioned for easy access. Rideau Street was closed off as crews worked to knock down the fire due to the narrow roadway being crowded with emergency vehicles. A Kingston Fire and Rescue firefighter makes fast choices as he suits up to extinguish the fire. As some firefighters packed up hoses after the fire had been extinguished, others moved fans into the building to aid with smoke ventilation.
At by approximately 10:10 p.m., Rideau Street had been reopened to traffic, and all fire vehicles and crews had left the area, however, the investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing, and Kingston Fire and Rescue’s Fire Prevention Team has been assigned to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Kingston Police were not called in to assist with the fire investigation.
This is at least the fourth fire to take place on Rideau Street this year, with a two-car detached garage being ravaged by flames in mid-July (which led to the discovery of a deceased male within the garage), and five tenants being displaced following a fire in a multi-unit building on Rideau Street in mid-August 2021. There is no indication the fires in the area have been connected in any way at this time.
Kingstonist will update this article if/when more information becomes available.