On a frigid January afternoon that bled into a bitterly cold Wednesday evening, part of the facade and exterior structure of one of Orillia's oldest buildings came tumbling down in a noisy cascade of brick and glass.
People huddled on the sidewalk, shivering, trying to capture the moment as a crew from Priestly Demolition began work to clear access into the upper floors of the 130-year-old building that was ravaged by fire Tuesday morning.
While it appears the building will have to be demolished, right now the focus is on giving firefighters access to extinguish some hot spots and allow structural engineers to analyze the building's structure.
Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac said the building's fate has likely already been sealed.
“At this point, it’s very unfortunate the historic building looks like it will have to be torn down and cannot be saved,” he said. “My understanding is the second floor and the roof have collapsed, and the structural integrity of the building has been lost, so it’s just not safe.”
Five local businesses were directly affected by the fire, which resulted in a total loss of the 130-year-old building at Peter and Mississaga streets.
On Wednesday morning, Orillia OPP announced the fire is now subject to a criminal investigation after police obtained footage showing someone lighting a small fire that “spread quickly.”
The following video captures more than 20 minutes of raw footage from Wednesday's demolition.
