An overnight fire at The Bridges shelter in Cambridge forced residents out of the building early Sunday. Emergency crews arrived around 12:30 a.m. to find smoke spreading through the second and third floors.
Officials determined the fire began when a lithium-ion battery overheated inside a unit. The resident moved the battery into a stairwell, helping contain the damage, which crews described as minimal.
Five fire stations and a rescue unit responded, with Waterloo Regional Police assisting in the evacuation. No one was hurt. A Grand River Transit bus was used to keep residents warm while firefighters cleared the smoke. The building has since been inspected, declared safe, and fully reopened.