Initial evidence shows no working smoke alarms in fatal Hamilton house fire

The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) says early evidence suggests there were no working smoke alarms in a Hamilton home that set fire last Friday, killing one and hospitalizing five others.

“The occupants residing at the residence on Century St. were not alerted by activation of a smoke alarm and no witnesses have described any presence of an activated alarm,” said Sean Driscoll, a spokesperson for the OFM.

As the investigation continues, Driscoll says officials will be better able to confirm whether there were working smoke alarms.

The Hamilton Fire Department responded shortly after 9 a.m. on Feb. 17 for a report of a structure fire at 69 Century St. between Ashley St. and Wentworth St. North.

READ MORE: 1 dead, 5 in hospital after multiple-alarm Hamilton house fire

Crews upgraded the blaze to a multiple-alarm fire within minutes of arriving.

“There was a person trapped at a window on the second floor, one person on a covered porch roof and two people on the roof of the house next door,” said Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe.

The fire department initially said that nine people were in the house at the time of the blaze.

But later in the morning, Hamilton police received a report of a person unaccounted for, who was on the second floor of the home.

Cunliffe said firefighters searching that floor had to evacuate after a floor collapsed in the back of the house.

Fire crews later searched the area and found the body of a deceased person.

Hamilton Emergency Paramedic Services Supt. Dave Thompson said one person was taken to a local trauma centre in critical, life-threatening condition. Two people in serious condition and one person in stable condition were transported to a local trauma centre. Paramedics also brought another person to a different hospital in stable condition.

Thompson said EMS treated a sixth person at the scene, but they were not taken to hospital.

Cunliffe said the cost of damage is estimated to be more than $850,000.

Fire crews have not yet indicated the cause of the blaze.

READ MORE: WATCH: Chief to give update on fatal Hamilton house fire at 4:45 p.m.