A man in his 50s is fighting for his life in hospital after he jumped from a second-storey window in an attempt to escape a house fire in Oshawa overnight.
The fire broke out at a residence on Brock Street West around 2 a.m.
Police say officers on scene used a fire extinguisher on the man. He was rushed to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto with life-threatening injuries after receiving burns to 40 to 60 per cent of his body.
Fire officials say crews arrived to find smoke and flames visible from the exterior.
“We made entry through the main floor and made their way up,” Acting Fire Chief Derrick Clark said on Thursday. “Crew made a rapid entry and quick attack to bring the fire under control relatively quickly.”
Police say three other people were rescued from the burning building and some were treated for smoke inhalation.
Oshawa fire officials say there were no working smoke alarms in the building which housed to separate units.
“It’s my understanding that within those two units, there are rooms that were rented out independently,” Oshawa Chief Fire Prevention Officer Susan King said. “It appears the fire originated in one of the second-storey bedrooms.”
There’s no word yet on the cause of the fire but the damage is estimated at between $200,000 to $300,000.
The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office has been called in to investigate.
VIDEO: Man escapes Oshawa house fire through window
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-With a file from Cindy Pom
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