Fire causes more than $1 million in damages

Tillsonburg firefighters used the aerial truck to suppress a fire in a three-unit townhouse on Jacko Street on Jan. 7. Electrical issues are the suspected cause of the fire, which is not considered suspicious in nature. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

A fire in a still-under-construction three-unit townhouse on Jacko Court caused more than $1 million in damage, but is not considered suspicious.

Firefighters responded to the fire on Jan. 7 at 7:15 a.m. at 13 Jacko St. Firefighters were on scene for more than five hours, and had assistance from a pumper from Norfolk Fire Department, Courtland.

“Cold temperatures hampered the operations of the firefighters due to ice and slippery conditions,” said Geoff Hayman, Tillsonburg fire prevention officer,

Owned by Oxnard Potters Gate Inc., the fire damage was confined to two of the three units in the townhouse, but there was smoke damage in the third.

Hayman understands there were many in the community concerned due to a string of suspicious fires in Norfolk County, but he said this is not related or suspicious.

“This is not a suspicious fire,” he said. “There were no obvious signs of entry.”

He explained with arson there would be materials stacked in a corner that were lit on fire or signs of an accelerant poured on the floor. In this case, there were no signs of either.

Wiring of the units was not yet complete but there were two outlets energized. One was being used for a construction heater.

“Something occurred, rather there was damage to the electrical or damage to the electrical cord where it caused the floor to catch fire,” Hayman said. “There was really nothing there to catch fire, the floor was clean.”

The exact value of the damage is still to be determined, and Hayman said it will be dependent on if “the structure can be repaired or needs to be rebuilt.”