Tenants displaced after massive fire in Hamilton’s Charred restaurant, apartments

A group of tenants on James Street North have been left without a home Thursday after a fire erupted inside Charred Rotisserie House.

Emergency crews say the blaze started around 12 p.m. inside of the restaurant’s kitchen, which is on the first floor of a three-story building.

Firefighters were met with heavy flames and smoke, prompting them to quickly move to contain the blaze.

However, the fire quickly spread through the ductwork into the second and third floors of the building, sending the people who live in the four apartments above the restaurant scrambling to escape.

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“We’re having to open up the floors and the walls to extinguish the fire,” said Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe.

Officials say all occupants of the building safely evacuated. No injuries have been reported.

The tenants must find another place to live temporarily due to the significant damage.

An employee of the restaurant says there were five staff members inside the restaurant when the fire broke and they were all able to flee to safety.

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Firefighters’ quick action in the kitchen helped with their ability to bring the blaze under control within approximately 30 minutes.

The cost of damage has yet to be determined, but the fire chief says there is extensive water damage and floors have all had to be ripped apart to put out the fire.

The restaurant is now closed and there is no word on when it may reopen.