Firefighting operations have finally wrapped up at the site of a major blaze in downtown St. Catharines.
While the investigation continues into the cause of the fire at the historic Welland House hotel, fire crews have predominantly cleared the scene.
A crew remains at 30 Ontario Street to provide support during the cleanup.
Firefighters spent days battling the blaze, calling in heavy equipment to make sure hotspots were out at the vacant building.
At the peak of the fire there were 50 firefighters and 10 vehicles on scene, with fire crews from Pelham and Thorold supporting the efforts of St. Catharines firefighters.
“I cannot speak highly enough of the work of fire crews over the last several days. They battled through some humid and rainy conditions to ensure the fire was fully extinguished and to ensure area buildings and residents remained safe,” said Fire Chief Jeff McCormick. “We are extremely thankful for the dedication and professional excellence of our firefighters here in St. Catharines, as well as those from our partner departments that supported our efforts over the past few days.”
St. Catharines Fire Services were called to the scene of the fire at 5:23 a.m. on Monday, July 12th.
The Ontario Fire Marshal’s investigative team has wrapped up its efforts on scene, but continues its investigation, with the support of St. Catharines Fire Services investigators and detectives with the Niagara Regional Police.
Temporary road closures remain in place around the property due to debris and safety concerns.