Windsor police investigators have determined an apartment fire near Erie Street was deliberately set.
Fire crews were called out to the multi-unit residence at 995 Pierre Ave., around 11:20 p.m. on Tuesday.
The fire was contained to a vacant unit causing an estimated $40,000 in damages.
Neighbour Dave McAngus and says he helped put out the blaze.
“I knew the apartment was empty so I grabbed the first extinguisher, booted the door, stayed low to the ground and just kept spraying on it,” says McAngus. “I couldn’t get the underside of the mattress and I didn’t want to get too far in because the black smoke was just choking me.”
He says his son grabbed another extinguisher and they put it out as best as they could.
“There was just a little bit of flame when the fire department showed up.”
No injuries were reported.
McAngus says this is not the first fire he's put out at the building.
"This is the fifth fire I've put out at this building,” says McAngus. “The other three were in trash cans.”
He feels part of the problem is that garbage is left to pile up outside the building.
“If the city would clean it up and we get a decent element in the building, the neighbourhood wouldn't be going downhill as it is."
