Eleven people were rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital and four of them are in critical condition after a fire broke out at a high-rise apartment building in Bradford Monday afternoon.
Firefighters responded to the building on Holland Street West, near Simcoe Road, just before 2 p.m.
Images from the scene showed heavy smoke coming from one of the units on an upper level of the building. Firefighters could be seen using an aerial ladder to try reach people on their balconies.
“First crews arriving were faced with a lot of smoke and flame coming out of the fifth floor,” Bradford Fire Chief Jim Kay said in an update.
He said firefighters found multiple people needing to be rescued from their balconies at the eight-storey building.
“We used an aerial apparatus to rescue 11 people from the balconies. Eleven people were taken to the hospital. Four are listed in critical condition at this time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those involved,” Kay said.
A number of residents were initially told to shelter in place and firefighters have since gone floor by floor to help them leave their units.
Two residents told CP24 they sheltered in their bathroom for about half an hour before being told they could leave.
“It was really scary,” resident Aaisha Keiznerman told CP24. “The smoke just came out of nowhere and it just got thicker and thicker and we were under the shower curtains just to avoid the smoke and couldn't breathe properly. It was really scary.”
The 84-unit building has been evacuated.
“All of the folks that live in this building at 114 Holland have been transported over to the Danube Centre where Red Cross and county social services are assisting with registration,” Kay said. “We still have a number of pets in the building that we are going to remove and reunite with their owners. So we're going to be here well into the night.”
The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury said it was setting up an evacuation centre at the Danube Seniors Centre for all those who had been displaced.
“We will provide further information as it is available for people who are seeking updates on their loved ones, including a contact phone number,” the town said in a post on social media.
Kay said the building sustained structural damage to the fifth and sixth floors and an engineer will have to assess the building before it can be re-occupied. It’s not yet clear how long that process will take.
“The Ontario Fire Marshal's office has been called to assist Bradford Fire with the origin, cause and circumstances,” he said.
Roads in the area have been closed down as crews continue to work at the building.
