A 25-year-old man is in critical condition in hospital following a fire in a basement apartment in Hamilton, Ont.
Firefighters responded to a report of alarms sounding at 6 Webber Ave. near the bottom of the Claremont Access just before 4 a.m. Wednesday.
Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe says crews found heavy smoke in the basement apartment of the four storey low-rise building and executed “search and rescue and firefighting operations.”
Cunliffe says a person was found in the bedroom area of the apartment as was rescued by firefighters.
The victim was transported by paramedics to Hamilton General Hospital and is in critical condition with smoke inhalation.
Fire crews quickly extinguished flames in the living room area of the apartment but heavy smoke throughout the building forced the evacuation of all the tenants, who were placed inside an HSR bus that was called to the scene.
All the tenants have since been allowed to return to their units.
Due to the nature of the victim’s injuries, the Fire Marshall’s office has been called in to help with the investigation and the scene is being held by Hamilton police.
No one else was injured and damage is estimated at approximately $5,000.