It is five years since Leaside Cleaners at 1540 Bayview Ave. was struck by a rolling ball of flame from a hydro transformer which had been hit by lightning during a thunderstorm. The fire destroyed Leaside Cleaners and ultimately led to the closure of the business. It also severely damaged The Flower Nook next door and forced the well-known local business to move over to Wicksteed Ave for a while. Today the owners of Flower Nook recall the fire on their Facebook page (embedded). See below and the rest of the story.
The early evening fire also caused heavy smoke damage to McSorley’s, the NIMA money exchange and Bonnie Byford Real Estate. Over time, the clean-up brought many changes. NIMA closed and Sport Clips and Smokin’ Cigar joined the ranks along this busy part of the street. Below is the picture published by the South Bayview Bulldog at the time.
