Updated September 15, 2026 @ 10:14am
More than $1 million in damage is estimated after a fire heavily damaged an Orillia building with five apartments.
Firefighters responded to the blaze at 265 Barrie Road near Westmount Drive South around 12:10 Tuesday morning.
Fire Chief Chris Ferry says crews found heavy fire coming from a ground-floor unit of the three-storey structure.
"Everyone was out of the building, and there were no injuries," Ferry said in an email to Barrie 360.
According to Ferry, a volunteer Orillia firefighter was on a late-night run when he happened to be running by the address and spotted the fire.
The firefighter banged on the doors and alerted the residents. He then guided the woman who lived in the apartment where the fire started out of the building.
Ferry said the fire consumed the main-level unit and spread to the second and third floors through exterior windows and walls because of the building's balloon-frame construction.
The fire also extended into the attic, and the roof became involved.
Firefighters from Ramara and Severn assisted Orillia crews.
Ferry says the building had a working fire alarm system.
All residents have been displaced.
He says he expects the building will be a total loss.
The fire is not considered suspicious. The Ontario Fire Marshal was notified but is not attending.
The cause remains undetermined.
