Abandoned School Fire Being Investigated as Arson – Fort Erie

On Monday, August 10, 2026, at approximately 1:15 AM, Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) 5 District (Fort Erie) uniform officers responded to fully engulfed building on Ridge Road North in the Town of Fort Erie.

Responding officers determined that the building was an abandoned school, formerly the Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School. The Fort Erie Fire Department is actively working to extinguish the fire, which has been determined to be an act of arson.

5 District Criminal Investigative Branch (CIB) has taken carriage of the investigation, in cooperation with the Fort Erie Fire Department. Detectives are requesting residents and businesses in the area of Ridge Road North review any video surveillance footage and contact police if anything suspicious is observed.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905) 688-4111, option 3, extension 1009538.

Members of the community who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477(TIPS). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to people who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.

NRPS Incident #26-100229