Business owners devastated after suspicious fire on historic block of Wortley Village

Business owners in the heart of London's old south neighbourhood said they had been up all night assessing the damage to their stores following an overnight fire that police are calling suspicious. 

The London Fire Department was called to the corner of Wortley Road and Bruce Street at 12:30 a.m., a block that has buildings dating back to 1886.

Firefighters were met with heavy smoke and flames, and Platoon Chief Brent Shea said it took two aerial rigs and eight crews to put out the fire.

Three businesses and the apartments above them were damaged by the fire. 

"I got a call at 1 a.m. from a neighbour saying that the building beside mine was on fire and when I came down, there were flames shooting out of the roof," said Al Stewart, the owner of Westland Gallery. "There were 12 men out on my roof trying to put the thing out...It was a pretty long, hard battle."

Neighbours said they heard the sounds of the blaze and fire crews working overnight.

"I heard this crackling and I thought something's going on in the streets," said Elizabeth Iles, who was asleep in her apartment across the street when the fire broke out. "I rolled over and opened my eyes and I saw this orange-gold [light] coming through my windows."

Iles said she saw the fire burning for two hours, with flames re-erupting throughout the night while firefighters were working.

"My place was lit up like a Christmas tree," Iles said. 

Two people who live above the businesses are out of their homes and are in the care of the Red Cross, said Shea. No injuries are reported, she added. 

London police are calling the fire suspicious and are continuing to investigate with the Ontario Fire Marshall. 

Business owners were up early Thursday morning to check on the status of their shops.

"I did have a peek inside and it's devastating," said Sharinne Snellen, who owns Sha Choix, which sells jewelry and gifts. "It's lots of water and the ceiling is down, so there's nothing we can do now."