Disaster at two cannabis stores on Rideau Street: Car collision causes damage
Fire Breaks Out at Shroomyz on Preston Street in Little Italy
A fire at a dispensary business called Shroomyz on Preston Street in Little Italy caused a stir early Monday morning. The incident was reported to the Ottawa Fire Services at 4:45 a.m., and firefighters arrived on the scene just three minutes later.
The fire was initially detected on the exterior back porch of the single-storey building located in the 300 block of Preston Street. Flames quickly spread into the soffits and roofline, causing smoke to be visible from all four eaves of the building.
Firefighters fought the blaze using a hose line and thermal imaging cameras. The fire was declared under control at 5:45 a.m., and Rideau Street, which was closed by the Ottawa Police Service, was reopened to traffic before 9 a.m.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are currently underway, and the Ottawa Police Service's Arson and Explosion Unit is leading the investigation. It's important to note that there are no publicly identified persons or organizations involved in the two suspected arson cases in Ottawa announced in March.
Interestingly, this incident comes after the Ottawa Police Service was investigating "multiple suspicious fires" at drug dispensaries on Rideau Street and Little Italy in March. The Arson and Explosion Unit is asking for witnesses or information about the fires on both Rideau Street and Preston Street to contact them at 613-236-1222, ext. 4587.
Meanwhile, on Rideau Street, an SUV crashed into a two-storey building near Dalhousie Street. The vehicle burst into flames upon impact, and the fire spread to the building. Two police cruisers and the burnt-out vehicle remained outside the building at 10 a.m.
The building houses a dispensary business, but it's unclear if this incident is connected to the fire on Preston Street. More updates will follow as the investigations progress.
