UPDATE: A neighbour has started a GoFundMe campaign to assist the victims of the fire.
BRAMPTON, Ont. – A major fire at a Brampton townhouse spread throughout the entire complex, destroying as many as nine homes overnight.
The fire broke on Darras Court, near Bramalea Road and Balmoral Drive around 10 p.m. Saturday.
All residents escaped safely, although reports from the scene indicate a pet dog may have died in the fire.
Neighbour Derek Dabor says he spotted the fire as he was about to go to bed, then ran through the complex alerting residents.
“I saw the fire happening and I went into that house and I told the gentleman to get his car out of the driveway and I’ll go get his family. I then went to the left side … banged on the door, got in there and got their family out – they had a little baby – and then I went to the other side and I literally had to kick the door in to get inside and get that family out because they just didn’t know what was happening,” he said.
Resident Parveen Thaper said her car and garage went up in flames, losses for which she had no insurance.
“My husband he left me, alone, single parent I could not pay for [insurance],” she said.
Peter Gatto, deputy chief of the Brampton Fire Dept. said the fire started in one of two units on the west side of the complex and spread through the remaining units.
“We’re clearly in defensive mode,” he said. “Our crews … were extremely aggressive. They were trench cutting into the roof which means they were taking chain saws working from the inside and the outside, trying to stop the fire as it progressed.”
Fire crews were still quenching flames at 7 a.m. Sunday.
“The real tragedy here is that there are eight families that are displaced,” Gatto said.
“Especially right before Christmas it’s just horrible. We’re two weeks away from Christmas, it’s a real tragedy story for them.”
Resident Parveen Thaper said her car and garage went up in flames, losses for which she had no insurance.
“My husband he left me, alone, single parent I could not pay for those things,” she said.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Comments