By Adam Brazeau
CORNWALL, Ontario – Two Cornwall families have been displaced after a Sunday morning fire.
Five city fire trucks were dispatched to a semi-detached residence on Branch Drive at around 3:16 a.m.
Platoon Chief Steven O’Reilly said firefighters battled heavy flames engulfing the rear of the building, which crept up to the roof. By 4:05 a.m., the blaze was under control.
“It was an accidental fire,” said Cliff Crites, senior fire prevention officer.
He confirmed that the smoke alarms in both units were operational and that the two families had insurance. The investigation is still ongoing. Arson has been ruled out.
The occupants of one unit, a family with five children, are staying in a hotel, while a couple with a young child has found shelter with their in-laws.