ANNA MEHLER PAPERNY
From Monday's Globe and Mail Published on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 12:00AM EDT Last updated on Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009 4:10AM EST
More than 40 firefighters were still battling a blaze last night that set three shops alight in Niagara-on-the-Lake yesterday afternoon. The fire started at the Copper Leaf, a garden store near the historic Prince of Wales Hotel in the city's downtown, around 1 p.m. It quickly spread to two adjacent businesses - an art gallery and a leather-goods store.
Reached at home last night, Lori Schmahl, whose husband Darren Schmahl owns the Copper Leaf with his brother Michael, said employees discovered the fire when they smelled smoke and opened the basement door to investigate.
"They saw flames coming out of the wall. They called 911 and everyone got out."
A fire department spokesman said foul play isn't suspected, although it's too early to speculate on the cause of the fire. .
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