One person has been confirmed dead in a fire in downtown Bowmanville that displaced multiple residents and businesses.
Durham police confirmed a body was located after one person was unaccounted for following the fire on March 6. The identity of the person is still being determined.
Firefighters were first called to the scene on King Street at midnight to a building with two storeys of residential units above the main floor of commercial units.
The fire originated on the third storey in one of the residential units but became fully involved shortly after.
An Ontario Fire Marshall investigation is currently underway and to allow better access for investigation, the OFM will begin precise excavation to remove portions of some buildings, which may include front facades.
Once the investigation has concluded, decisions will be made about the structural integrity of surrounding buildings and orders will be issued to property owners to outline next steps.
All other residents was evacuated safely.
The Mayor of Clarington, Adrian Foster released a statement last week, reading in part “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted. We are sorrowful for the people who have lost their homes and businesses. As a community, we are grieving for the damage done to Historic Downtown Bowmanville.”
Durham’s Emergency Social Services team has relocated residents to a hotel and is working to relocate families to new temporary accommodations.
At least 10 businesses in the area have sustained extensive damage and are expected to be closed for the foreseeable future.
