Lithium-ion batteries blamed for devastating Cambridge fire

Investigators believe charging lithium-ion batteries sparked a destructive fire at a Cambridge apartment complex.

Investigators believe charging lithium-ion batteries sparked a destructive fire at a Cambridge apartment complex.

Cambridge Deputy Fire Chief Brad Churchill said the Ontario Fire Marshal concluded their investigation on Saturday. They believe batteries were charging within one of the units.

Five people were taken to hospital and 26 people were displaced following the fire in the Avenue Road area on Thursday night.

It was a hard fought battle, with every available fire station in Cambridge responding to the blaze in addition to mutual aid from Kitchener.

Paramedics treated ten people on scene.

Witnesses told CTV News they saw several people taken out of the building on stretchers while others needed to be rescued from balconies.

With reporting by Jeff Pickel