Fire destroys old downtown buildings in Merritt

MERRITT – A fire that broke out Monday night in downtown Merritt destroyed two old buildings and left another block of buildings with smoke damage.

Mayor Susan Roline says there were no significant injuries but the fire did displace several businesses and residents. She notes the ‘very old buildings’ did not have a firewall separating them because of the age, which allowed the fire to spread easily to the second building.

She credits the fire department with containing the fire as quickly as they did.

“To the credit of our mainly paid on call fire department… an entire block of buildings were left intact with only major to minor smoke damage.”

A pet store and a hair salon on Quilchena Avenue along with several apartments were destroyed in the blaze, according to Global News.

Fire investigators will be in Merritt Thursday to determine the cause.

More information is expected today.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.