Moore Street house fire in Bradford “criminally suspicious,” say police

A fire that tore through a 158-year-old house weeks away from it getting a heritage designation has now been deemed “criminally suspicious,” according to South Simcoe police.

The police service is asking anyone with information and security camera footage related to the fire at 108 Moore St. in Bradford West Gwillimbury on July 1 to come forward.

Police investigators are particularly interested in getting security camera video from residents in that area in the early morning hours of Canada Day, police said.

No one was injured in the fire at the vacant home, and the damage estimate is not yet known, police said.

The BWG Fire & Emergency Service was called to the blaze around 4 a.m. July 1, but an investigation has revealed the fire actually started between 3 a.m. to 4 a.m., police said.

BWG, Innisfil and New Tecumseth firefighters were all called to battle the fire.

It was likely the home would have gotten a heritage designation from the town in August.

Several years ago, the home’s owner had presented the town with a letter of intent to demolish the building, with plans to build several homes on the property.
Instead, the town listed the house on its heritage register and was working with the owner to come up with a plan for the property.

The Town of BWG issued a statement on Facebook after the recent fire, saying it would work with the owner to ensure the home is “restored to its original splendor.”

“While the fire has been devastating, we look forward to the day that 108 Moore Street is once again a proud representation of our community’s past,” it wrote.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call South Simcoe police at 705-426-2141 or 905-775-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).