Firefighters were ordered to evacuate a burning home in Little Portugal on Tuesday morning after one of them lost consciousness during a search and rescue operation.

The fire broke out on the second floor of a residence on Dufferin Street north of Queen Street at around 9 a.m.

According to Interim Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, crews encountered a “significant amount of heat” inside the building and as a result one firefighter lost consciousness and had to be helped outside by his fellow firefighters. At that point, Pegg said a decision was made to issue a mayday call, ordering all firefighters out of the building. As a result of the mayday call, the fire was also upgraded to a three-alarm call.

“Interior structural firefighting is a very, very dangerous operation and it is not uncommon for our firefighters to sustain significant heat well into the high hundreds or even the thousands of degrees. They wear extremely good firefighting equipment but like anything there is a limit to what can be absorbed,” Pegg told reporters at the scene. “In this case there was a very experienced crew and a very experienced captain who recognized that the heat was too high and made the decision to leave the building and move to the outside. It was the right call.”

Pegg said that the injured firefighter regained consciousness “very shortly” after being taken outside but was taken to hospital in serious condition. His injuries however, appear to be non-life-threatening.

Several other firefighters were checked out by paramedics as well, Pegg said, but did not require treatment.

Meanwhile, two occupants of the residence were taken to hospital with minor smoke inhalation.

The fire is considered under control at this point but Pegg said that crews are continuing to look for hot spots. The cause of the fire also remains unclear.

Deputy Chief Jim Jessop told reporters at the scene that investigators are still waiting for the all-clear to go into the building.

Jessop did note that there “is absolutely nothing to suggest that there is anybody else in the building,” though.

“The crews did an admirable job under very difficult circumstances,” he said.

Some neighbours have indicated that the building was being operated as a rooming house, however neither Pegg nor Jessop were able to confirm that details to reporters on Tuesday.

The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal has been notified and will be conducting an investigation.