An elderly man has died and two others have been injured in a three-alarm house fire in Brampton on Saturday morning, Brampton’s fire chief says.
Emergency services were called to a home in the area of Mississauga Road and Wanless Drive, on Buick Boulevard, shortly after 7:35 a.m.
“Our crews, on arrival, encountered some pretty significant fires,” Brampton Fire Chief Nick Ruller told CP24 in an interview.
The fire chief said a multi-generational family is living at the home on Buick Boulevard. A neighbour told CP24 that a total of 11 people were living at the home, adding they are a family from India.
“We ended up with multiple rescues via ladders and through the interior of the dwelling,” Ruller said. It took between 30 and 40 minutes to rescue everyone.
One occupant jumped from a second-floor window due to the fiery conditions, Ruller said, while another exited the home from a basement window.
Paramedics rushed three people to the hospital, including an elderly man, who died. Ruller could not confirm any further details about the victims at this time. Police confirmed the other two sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Smoke was still billowing hours after crews arrived as the flames engulfed several floors, the fire chief said.
Ruller added that crews could not fight the fire from the inside of the home because parts of the structure collapsed.
“It was very challenging,” Ruller said. “At the height of this incident, we upgraded it to a third alarm to bring additional resources in. Obviously, with the weather conditions right now, we’ve got some challenges that we were facing with ice, with frozen hose lines and just traversing the property, but, overall, absolutely exceptional work by our crews.”
The fire has since been knocked down.
The cause, origin and circumstances of the fire are unknown. The Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate.
A family relative told CP24 that the couple who owned the house were retired. He’s been inside the house for special celebrations.
“I don’t have words,” he said. “We used to come on festivals as well. So, because of our religion, our cultural things, we have to visit our sister’s family on the festivals and all that.”
The roads between Mayfield Road and Sandalwood Parkway remain closed.
UPDATE:
— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) January 25, 2025
- 1 adult male has been pronounced deceased
- 2 adult males were taken to local hospital w. non-life threatening injuries
- @BramptonFireES & Office of Ontario Fire Marshal continuing the investigation while #PRP assist