THUNDER BAY — Investigators have concluded that a fire that damaged a former bakery on Simpson Street was intentionally set.
The blaze at 642 Simpson St. was reported shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the building that used to house European Bakery, which shut down in 2018.
The Thunder Bay Police Service is now conducting an arson investigation, but a spokesperson said Monday afternoon that no arrests have been made in the case so far.
Darren Leishman, fire prevention officer with Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, said the TBFR command officer on the scene determined that the fire appeared to have been purposely set.
"Once that happens, that scene is turned over to Thunder Bay police, and they secure it until such a time that they no longer require it for criminal charge purposes."
Leishman explained that further involvement by fire investigators isn't mandatory unless the loss from a fire exceeds a certain dollar value, or if someone has been injured, neither of which applies to this case.
He said firefighting crews were able to limit the fire's spread relatively quickly after they arrived on the scene.
"The guys got there and put the fire out quickly. It looks like it was under control within minutes."
Investigators found no evidence that anyone had been inside the building at the time the fire broke out.
