Milton vacant ReStore/RONA fire: three 14-year-olds charged with arson
A major fire tore through the vacant former Habitat for Humanity ReStore / RONA building at 700 Main Street East in Milton, Ontario, on Sunday evening, 8 November 2026. Halton police say three 14-year-olds from the Milton area have each been charged with break-and-enter and arson. Nearby residents were evacuated; no serious injuries were reported.
A large fire engulfed the vacant former Habitat for Humanity ReStore / RONA building at 700 Main Street East in Milton, Ontario, on Sunday evening, 8 November 2026. Halton Regional Police and Milton Fire & Rescue responded around 5:30 p.m. to reports of smoke and flames, according to a Halton police news release carried by MiltonToday and matching accounts from CBC Toronto and CHCH.
Firefighters found significant fire conditions and fought the blaze from the exterior with aerial apparatus and large-volume hoses. Milton Fire & Rescue said crews were in a defensive operation at the abandoned ReStore building; Halton Hills firefighters assisted. Main Street between Thompson Road and Wilson Drive was closed while crews worked. Milton Fire Chief Peter Gatto told CBC no one was inside the vacant building.
Residents of the adjacent apartment building at 716 Main Street East were evacuated because of smoke. A warming shelter was available at Memorial Arena, Milton Fire said on social media. After smoke-mitigation measures, residents were allowed to return. CHCH reported the fire was brought under control around 1:25 a.m. on Monday. No serious injuries were reported, and there was no damage estimate as of Monday morning.
Halton police said the fire’s origin was considered suspicious. On Monday, three 14-year-olds from the Milton area — one female and two males, CBC reported — were each charged with one count of break-and-enter and one count of arson. Their identities are protected under Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act. The Ontario Fire Marshal was notified. Anyone with information is asked to contact Halton police at 905-825-4777 ext. 2416.