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  1. Campus Court Fire (Mel's Diner Burnt Down)
    140 University Avenue West, Waterloo
    Mel's Diner

    2. #1
    van Hemessen
    04-22-2010 08:54 AM
  2. van Hemessen's Avatar
    From Kitchener, Ontario | Member Since Jan 2010 | 135 Posts
    #2
    04-22-2010 08:54 AM
    ...and my camera ran out of batteries.

    Walked by UW Plaza this morning as it was being put out. Looks like they got it under control fairly quickly with no injuries.

    Expect pics soon.

    Looking into the distant future I hope they replace this with something more attractive, denser, and suited to its central location. But it will probably be just another strip mall.
  3. UrbanWaterloo's Avatar
    From Kitchener-Waterloo | Member Since Dec 2009 | 5,686 Posts
    #3
    04-22-2010 09:00 AM
    How far back does the damage extend? Is Fubar, 140 West, etc.. gone too?
  4. Urbanomicon's Avatar
    From Kitchener, Ontario | Member Since Feb 2010 | 981 Posts
    #4
    04-22-2010 09:06 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanWaterloo
    How far back does the damage extend? Is Fubar, 140 West, etc.. gone too?
    They just said on the radio that 8 businesses have been destroyed (including Mel's), which I think is the entire plaza.
    "Only the insane have the strength enough to prosper. Only those that prosper may truly judge what is sane."
  5. From Kitchener | Member Since Feb 2010 | 106 Posts
    #5
    04-22-2010 09:10 AM
    ...but Ignite Waterloo isn't until July 7th...


    Seriously though, glad no one was hurt. Curious to know what caused it.
  6. Urbanomicon's Avatar
    From Kitchener, Ontario | Member Since Feb 2010 | 981 Posts
    #6
    04-22-2010 09:11 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Osiris
    Seriously though, glad no one was hurt. Curious to know what caused it.
    University Avenue is expected to be closed for another few hours while they investigate. We should know by this evening.
    "Only the insane have the strength enough to prosper. Only those that prosper may truly judge what is sane."
  7. UrbanWaterloo's Avatar
    From Kitchener-Waterloo | Member Since Dec 2009 | 5,686 Posts
    #7
    04-22-2010 09:14 AM
    Major fire at Waterloo plaza
    570 News Apr 22, 2010 06:49:08 AM
    http://www.570news.com/news/local/ar...waterloo-plaza



    Firefighters are battling a large blaze at a plaza on University Avenue West in Waterloo.

    Police tell 570 News the Tabu Nightclub is engulfed in flames.

    Other businesses in the plaza include Mel's Diner and Sugar Mountain.

    The call came in just after 5:30 this morning.

    Some Lester Street residences have been evacuated.

    Traffic is blocked off at University and Seagram and University at Sunview.

    Dulce works at Mel's and tells 570 News she saw the smoke on her way into work things morning, and called her manager right away.

    She says the university district has lost a piece of history.

    Keep it on 570 News for the very latest on this developing story.
  8. From Kitchener | Member Since Jan 2010 | 287 Posts
    #8
    04-22-2010 09:22 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanWaterloo
    She says the university district has lost a piece of history.
    I know that quote seems a bit cliché but it's completely true. If you grew up in Waterloo Region, and even if you didn't go to UW or Laurier, you had friends that did, and inevitably you'd end up hanging out somewhere in that plaza. I for one feel a sense of loss - and I didn't attend either of those universities.
  9. UrbanWaterloo's Avatar
    From Kitchener-Waterloo | Member Since Dec 2009 | 5,686 Posts
    #9
    04-22-2010 09:22 AM
    Here's the property map from the Region's GIS Locator. Might help to describe the damage.

    Last edited by UrbanWaterloo; 04-22-2010 at 09:29 AM.
  10. From Kitchener | Member Since Feb 2010 | 106 Posts
    #10
    04-22-2010 09:25 AM
    An onlooker clip of the blaze...best I've found so far.
  11. From Kitchener | Member Since Feb 2010 | 106 Posts
    #11
    04-22-2010 09:28 AM
    And some photos from here









    Last edited by UrbanWaterloo; 04-22-2010 at 09:34 PM.
  12. IEFBR14's Avatar
    From H2OWC | Member Since Mar 2010 | 1,283 Posts
    #12
    04-22-2010 09:29 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn
    If you grew up in Waterloo Region, and even if you didn't go to UW or Laurier, you had friends that did, and inevitably you'd end up hanging out somewhere in that plaza. I for one feel a sense of loss - and I didn't attend either of those universities.
    Oh you young'uns... I grew up in Waterloo. I went to UW. I knew lots of people at UW and WLU (Waterloo Lutheran University!)

    I never ended up in that plaza -- because it wasn't even there yet
  13. UrbanWaterloo's Avatar
    From Kitchener-Waterloo | Member Since Dec 2009 | 5,686 Posts
    #13
    04-22-2010 09:33 AM
    Oh wow, that's much bigger than I was expecting the fire to be. Thanks for the video and image finds Osiris!
  14. From Belmont Villiage | Member Since Dec 2009 | 427 Posts
    #14
    04-22-2010 09:37 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn
    I know that quote seems a bit cliché but it's completely true. If you grew up in Waterloo Region, and even if you didn't go to UW or Laurier, you had friends that did, and inevitably you'd end up hanging out somewhere in that plaza. I for one feel a sense of loss - and I didn't attend either of those universities.
    Before those two strip malls were there, there was a nice restaurant named Chances R, Short Stop, a few other places and a place called King Kong Subs. King Kong had a three foot sub. If you ate it, they took a Polaroid picture and slapped it on the wall.

    I hope they do something more interesting there, and multi-floor.
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  15. UrbanWaterloo's Avatar
    From Kitchener-Waterloo | Member Since Dec 2009 | 5,686 Posts
    #15
    04-22-2010 09:45 AM
    Agreed on the redevelopment points.

    Oh wow, look at The Record's photo: http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/700674

  16. From Kitchener | Member Since Jan 2010 | 287 Posts
    #16
    04-22-2010 09:45 AM
    That video surprises me. I didn't expect the flames to be so big and high. For some reason I visualized something more of a smoldering fire, lots of smoke but no flames. I'm very curious to hear the Fire Marshall's report on the cause. I hope it's not arson.
  17. Member Since Jan 2010 | 129 Posts
    #17
    04-22-2010 09:58 AM
    If the fire started in the nightclub, I'd suspect arson. Those bars have been notorious money laundering operations for years. Not sure about the most recent operations but I had friends cooking in the former versions and they had many a story to tell.
  18. van Hemessen's Avatar
    From Kitchener, Ontario | Member Since Jan 2010 | 135 Posts
    #18
    04-22-2010 10:02 AM
    I suspect arson....those flames were HUGE. Not what you'd expect from an electrical fire or someone leaving a stove on.

    If it was arson the culprit clearly has a thing against strip malls.
  19. Member Since Jan 2010 | 117 Posts
    #19
    04-22-2010 10:05 AM
    Yeah, this fire reeks of Arson. I'd like to think that something nice will be built to replace what has been lost, but at best I think we'll see a straight up rebuild, at worst -
  20. jay's Avatar
    Member Since Dec 2009 | 681 Posts
    #20
    04-22-2010 11:17 AM
    It was a bigger fire then I thought. Glad nobody got hurt. I suspect arson also if it came from anyone of the nightclubs

    On the plus side maybe they build something multi-story. I hope this doesn't sit fenced off for a extended period of time.
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