By Carolyn Turgeon
Police have confirmed arson as the cause of the fire which gutted the building at Yonge and Gould Streets.
“It has been deemed as arson,” said Constable Wendy Drummond of the Toronto Police Service. “That’s all we can disclose at this time.”
Just over a month after the fire that ravaged the heritage building, the police investigation continues. The fire, which took place just after 4 a.m. on Jan. 5, 2011, destroyed the already damaged structure which previously housed Salad King. It had been empty since one of the walls collapsed last April.
The arson analysis has been ongoing since Jan. 7.
According to Const. Drummond, there has been no new information about the person of interest caught by security cameras the morning of the six-alarm blaze.
Police footage released to the public shows a man entering and leaving the building’s alleyway the morning of the fire.
The individual could be seen entering the alleyway around 1:30 am, wearing a backpack, and leaving around 3:50 am, still wearing the backpack.
The person was shown exiting northeast, towards Ryerson campus.
The ongoing investigation is now being led by Det. Deb Harris.
Demolition staff have since levelled the building and removed the barricades around the site.
Photo: Mohammed Omar
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