An elderly Milton woman is in critical condition after she caught fire in her apartment Friday evening.
Emergency services were called to a fourth floor apartment at 40 Ontario St. in Milton shortly before 7 p.m. where they found the building alarm ringing and neighbours attending to the 91-year old woman in the hallway. The small blaze – which firefighters say may have started when the woman’s clothing caught fire near the stove – had already been extinguished by neighbours.
The woman was rushed to Milton District Hospital with second and third degree burns. She was later transferred to the burn unit at Hamilton General Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Firefighters say the fire does not appear to be suspicious, but the Halton police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating because of the severity of the woman’s injuries.
Police praised the neighbours for their quick action in coming to the woman’s aid.They said her family is by her side in hospital.
They cautioned the public to be especially careful around candles, open gas flames or electrical elements, especially when wearing long or loose-fitting clothing.
