Firefighters were called to fight a major fire at an abandoned house across from the Holiday Inn on Regent Street in Sudbury at 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
When they arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from windows on the main floor and through the roof, but no one was found inside.
Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell told CTV News that a homeless person looking to stay warm may have started the fire, which then grew out of control.
“Certainly, having fires for warmth especially -- those who are residing in and around areas like this, that is occurring,” Oshell said.
“So, we want to try and educate and ensure safety and get that message out to them when we are engaging with them -- and we work with the community partners with that.”
Searched for hot spots
He said that just after 8 a.m., fire crews conducted a secondary search of the structure and checked for hot spots.
“We suspect (the fire) started by transient individuals that were seen in and out of the structure ... a number of different times -- we don’t have any other cause at the moment,” Oshell said.
He said the structure is a complete loss and that the homeowner has insurance. Oshell said the building will be demolished tomorrow because it is unsafe under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.
Security will be on site until the demolition is completed, he added.