Fire in Downtown Bowmanville

In the early hours of Thursday, March 6, 2025, Clarington Emergency and Fire Services (CEFS) responded to a fire in downtown Bowmanville. Please see the updates below to get the latest information or subscribe to our Community News updates to get the latest information in your email inbox.

Latest update - March 9 at 1 p.m.

Clarington continues to work through response and recovery to the tragic fire in downtown Bowmanville on March 6. As of March 9, the site remains under investigation by the Ontario Fire Marshal.

Durham Region’s Emergency Social Services Team continues to support displaced residents with immediate needs and pathways to income and employment support and longer-term housing.

Supporting displaced residents with donations

Clarington is a community that cares, and it has been inspiring to see how we have come together to offer support and donations to victims of the fire.

Local partners and organizations are assisting with the collection and distribution of monetary and gift card donations. The primary lead is the Salvation Army Bowmanville. As there has been an outpouring of community support, we ask that the community is patient with volunteers at the Salvation Army, who are working around the clock to receive and channel donations.

At this time, the Salvation Army, Region of Durham and Red Cross are not able to receive physical donations, as they are difficult to manage due to the high volume of donations, the individual needs of residents, and the nature of the current temporary accommodations. Food donations pose risks with food safety. Please know that displaced residents have access to meals, vouchers and gift cards, and have direct support to request specific items they need.

At this time, the best way to help is through monetary or gift card donations. This will ensure donations are distributed to affected residents equitably, to best support their individual needs. Volunteers are not able to manage the high volume of physical donations at this time.

If you are a local restaurant that would like to provide vouchers for meals, please contact the Clarington Board of Trade for information on how to do so.

Clarington will continue to share daily updates with the community, which will include information about ways to best support displaced individuals as they navigate the path forward, including specifics about what is needed most.

As a reminder, we encourage those considering donating to GoFundMe campaigns to confirm the validity of these fundraisers as they are not endorsed by the Municipality, Region or Red Cross.

Thank you, Clarington. 💙

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We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the first responders and community partners who have assisted in the response following this tragic event.

Past updates

Update #3: March 8 at 2 p.m.

The Ontario Fire Marshal is on site and is expected to continue the investigation into the week of March 10.

Temporary fencing has been placed around 59 to 95 King Street West. The north sidewalk is open and all businesses on the north side of King Street West are accessible. King Street West remains closed to vehicular traffic from Temperance Street to Scugog Street. Businesses between Silver Street and Temperance Street are open and accessible despite the road closure.

Thirty-five individuals impacted by the fire are receiving support from Durham Region Social Services, including temporary accommodations, mental health counselling, income and employment support, and navigating the next steps toward longer-term housing options. The Salvation Army Bowmanville continues to collect monetary donations for affected residents.

Clarington has received no updates regarding the unaccounted-for person. Police continue to remain on site throughout the investigation.

Supporting downtown businesses

Despite the closure of several businesses, the remainder of downtown Bowmanville is open for business. We encourage the community to shop local, grab takeout, or stop by their favourite café or restaurant. Parking in downtown Bowmanville (both on-street and in municipal parking lots) is free until March 16.

Our team continues to work with the Downtown Bowmanville BIA and Clarington Board of Trade to provide support to those businesses that are temporarily closed.

We would like to thank the community for their continued support as we work together to recover and rebuild.

Watch a video message from Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster

Update #2: March 7 at 3 p.m.

Clarington Emergency and Fire Services has handed the downtown Bowmanville fire scene over to the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal to conduct their investigation. Units located at 59 to 95 King Street remain closed, and it is anticipated that the area will remain under investigation through the week of March 10. More information on timing will be shared as it becomes available.

Temporary fencing has been erected around affected buildings. King Street West will remain closed from Scugog Street to Temperance Street until further notice. Pedestrian access is restricted to the north sidewalk only. Businesses on the north side of King Street are permitted to open, however, customers will need to park on alternative local roads or in a municipal parking lot. The Municipality of Clarington has waived parking fees in downtown Bowmanville until March 16 to support local businesses in the area.

Residents of the affected properties continue to be accommodated by the Region of Durham’s Emergency Social Services team and Red Cross. Thirty-six residents have been displaced and one individual remains unaccounted for. Mental health support is also being provided to residents and John Howard Society is working with individuals to find longer-term housing options. For those looking to support displaced residents, the Region of Durham is unable to accept physical donations at this time. The Salvation Army Bowmanville is collecting monetary donations for affected residents.

Quote from Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster:

“Fire trucks are a familiar and exciting sight for curious kids during our popular downtown Bowmanville street festivals, like MapleFest and AppleFest. This week, the trucks were downtown for a very different reason. It's a devastating scene our community won’t soon forget. I'm amazed by the resilience of those affected by this devastating fire and in awe of how Clarington has come together in a crisis. Now the work begins to rebuild together. Our municipality will do everything possible to support those affected by this destructive fire. We have fenced off the affected areas and waived parking fees. We encourage everyone to come out and support the businesses of downtown Bowmanville. We will get through this together.”

Update #1: March 6 at 1:30 p.m.

Clarington Emergency and Fire Services (CEFS) is providing an update about the structure fire in downtown Bowmanville.

Crews remain on the scene actively working to fully extinguish the fire. There is significant damage to the buildings. King Street West, between Scugog Street and Temperance Street, remains closed until further notice. Please continue to avoid the area.

It has been confirmed that residents were evacuated safely, and there were no injuries. One individual remains unaccounted for, but it is unclear if they were in the building at the time of the fire. The Region of Durham’s Emergency Social Services team has relocated residents to a hotel and is working to relocate families to new temporary accommodations.

Clarington’s Economic Development office is reaching out to affected businesses to provide support alongside the Clarington Board of Trade and Downtown Bowmanville Business Improvement Area. Businesses may reach out to the Invest Clarington team at ecdev@clarington.net for resources and support.

Clarington Emergency and Fire Services would like to thank all our partners for their quick and coordinated response, including the Region of Durham, Durham Region Transit, Red Cross, Oshawa Fire, Region of Durham Paramedic Services and Durham Regional Police. A special thank you to local restaurant 99 King, which remained open overnight to provide warmth, shelter and food to displaced residents and first responders.

The Ontario Fire Marshal will be investigating the cause of the fire. Clarington Emergency and Fire Services is reminding the public of the importance of early fire detection. Every second counts during a fire; please ensure you have working smoke alarms for your family’s safety. Find more fire safety information at www.clarington.net/FireSafety.

Read a statement from Mayor Adrian Foster

“This morning, our community is heartbroken by a devastating fire in downtown Bowmanville. Our hearts go out to everyone impacted.

We are sorrowful for the people who have lost their homes and businesses. As a community, we are grieving for the damage done to Historic Downtown Bowmanville—a beloved spot where residents shop and connect. Our municipality will do everything we can in the coming days, weeks, and months to support those affected by the fire as they rebuild and rise again.

Thank you to Clarington’s fire crews who worked through the night to protect our community, and our partners for supporting the response.”

Watch a video message from Clarington Fire Chief Dave Speed

March 6, 2025

Clarington Emergency and Fire Services (CEFS) responded to a fire in downtown Bowmanville in the early hours of March 6. The fire has affected the businesses and residential units from 69 King Street West to 95 King Street West, on the south side of Bowmanville’s historic downtown. 

CEFS crews have been working through the night to contain the fire, with the assistance of Oshawa Fire. As of 8 a.m., the fire is now under control but not fully extinguished.

Residents were evacuated into warming buses. The Region of Durham’s Emergency Social Services team, along with Red Cross, are working with affected individuals to be rehoused. 

The Ontario Fire Marshal is attending to investigate.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Media Contact:

Melissa Westover
Manager of Communications, Municipality of Clarington
mwestover@clarington.net

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