London police, London fire department and the Ontario Fire Marshal?s office are investigating a Friday evening blaze at 214 Egerton St. that critically injured two people. The fire was one of three in London in less than 24 hours and the other two were deemed suspicious. (Jonathan Sher/The London Free Press)
A man and woman were in critical condition Saturday after one of three fires to strike London in fewer than 24 hours, the other two blazes drawing suspicion from investigators.
A 57-year-old man and 40-year-old woman pulled from apartments at 214 Egerton St. Friday evening were stabilized overnight at a London hospital, but still in critical condition.
“They’re not out of harm’s way,” deputy chief Jack Burt said Saturday morning outside the two-storey home that neighbours said had been converted to contain five apartments.
The fire was one of three in a little more than 12 hours. About half a kilometre away from the Egerton blaze, a fire was reported at about midnight at 216 Margaret St. A third fire was called in about 10 a.m. Saturday at 257 Merlin Cres., at the corner of Wavell Street, above a variety store.
Though no one was injured in the second and third fires, local investigators called in the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office that investigates whenever there is either serious injury or suspicion of a criminal act that causes a fire.
Between the three fires and a hazardous-material call after someone inhaled an irritant while mixing cleaning products, every fire station but one in London was on the move, either to assist or to adjust how crews were deployed to cover the city, Burt said.
