Fire investigators have finished looking into an early-morning blaze, in Belleville’s east end, on Saturday.
Belleville firefighters responded to the Komosis Hair Studio on Herchimer Avenue just before 2:00 a.m. Saturday and were on scene extinguishing the stubborn blaze until the early afternoon.
A press release from Norm Mitts, Fire Prevention Officer for the City of Belleville stated the stubborn blaze was detected by a fire alarm system at 1:44am however it had been smoldering undetected for some time prior to the alarm.
Fire crews battled heavy smoke and flames to the rear of the older “balloon” style construction. Balloon construction was popular for this era of building making it very difficult for firefighters to douse the flames. The fire is able to advance quickly through walls, ceilings and attic spaces without any fire blocks.
After a few days of investigation, the fire was deemed to be accidental and caused by a faulty light switch. The fire was originally believed to have originated near the floor of the main level of the rear portion of the structure.
Nobody was injured and the damage costs are estimated to be around $750,000 or higher.
The scene has been turned over to the salon’s insurance company to continue their claim.
