A massive house fire in West London has caused $1,000,000 in damage.
It was around 4:30 Sunday morning when fire crews were first called to the home on Hartson Place, near Hyde Park Rd and Riverside Dr.
Firefighters discovered electrical wires on fire in a utility room and quickly worked to extinguish the blaze. Crews even used thermal imaging cameras to check for signs of smoke and most of the crews were returned to the fire house, when flames broke through the roof of the garage.
The fire consumed entire attic and garage and moved to second floor, forcing Platoon Chief Jeff Adams to evacuate the three firefighters inside the house at the time.
“When the interior crew opened up an attic opening which was on the second floor in the master bedroom, they encountered heavy fire conditions above them and then the heat and heavy smoke came down. That’s when they had to vacate the house.”
Additional crews were called back to the scene and firefighters took a defensive approach. An aerial ladder was deployed, running 500 gallons per minute to extinguish the fire on the roof.
“It was a very stubborn fire. Even using that amount of water there the fire did travel throughout the house and we did have three areas of the roof that collapsed.”
Platoon Chief Adams says the house belonged to an older couple, with four grown daughters no longer living at home.
“It’s a two floor house. It’s an absolutely beautiful house. A very, very large house. Unfortunately, the house is totally destroyed. I’ve assessed damage, which includes contents and everything, at a million dollars.”
Adams says he believes the homeowners are staying with neighbours across the street.
