Fire at King Street apartment

ST. CATHARINES - More than 20 people, mostly students, have been left homeless after a suspicious fire downtown Tuesday night forced them from their apartment building.

The St. Catharines fire department, Niagara Regional Police and the Ontario Fire Marshal's office are investigating the basement blaze at 21 King St.

Fire chief Mark Mehlenbacher said the fire caused about $150,000 to the contents and structure of the green apartment building.

"The fire was knocked down very fast," said Mehlenbacher. "But it is suspicious."

No one was injured in the 8:50 p.m. fire, which is the third suspicious blaze in the city this week.

On Sunday, two fires broke out 15 minutes apart on two parallel streets.

The late night fires on 56 George St. and 48 Concord Ave. are being treated as suspicious by NRP detectives. However, at this point police do not believe the fires are connected to the Tuesday night blaze on King St.

Mehlenbacher said 23 people in the building are staying at the Days Inn on Meadowvale Dr. and are under the care of the local Red Cross.

The cause of the fire has not been determined and the Ontario Fire Marshal is expected to arrive at the King St. building this afternoon.