Everyone got out safely after a squirrel started a fire in a downtown Stratford building.
The Stratford Fire Department responded to a call of smoke emanating from the roof of an Ontario Street building around 11:45 a.m. on Thursday.
Fire chief Neal Anderson says there was just one minor injury, but the building will be unoccupied for a while.
"There was one person that was treated for smoke inhalation, not a firefighter but an occupant of the building. Otherwise, everyone got out safely," he said. "We did get the dog out and on our third search, got the cat out. Both are healthy to our knowledge. There was a warming bus brought in by transit and people were there while they awaited Red Cross and Victims Services to take care of clothing, meals, housing, as the main building itself was not safe for occupation."
There's been no damage estimate as yet, but investigators have determined the culprit who started the blaze.
"It looks like there was interaction between the electrical wiring and a rodent, more precisely a squirrel, that actually was the cause of the fire," said Anderson. "We didn't think it was malicious, but upon the investigation and finding the dead squirrel during our firefighter operations in where it looks like the fire started, everything comes together that that was the cause, unfortunately."
Anderson says due to water damage from fighting the blaze through the roof, it will be a while before the apartment can be occupied or the downstairs business, La Diperie, will reopen.