A 46-year-old man is in critical condition in hospital following an early morning blaze at an auto shop in east London, according to police.
Firefighters received a call around 6:30 a.m. Thursday from a neighbour who reported seeing flames emerging from A-N Auto Electric, an auto shop on Brydges Street east of Egerton Street, according to the London fire department.
Platoon Chief Colin Shewell added that a person was found inside during a search of the building.
“We were doing a primary search of the second-floor mezzanine area, and at that point, an individual was found and removed quickly by our fire crews,” Shewell said.
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The person inside was transferred to the care of local paramedics and transported to hospital. Early Thursday afternoon, London police identified the victim as a 46-year-old man in critical condition.
Battling an auto shop blaze is no easy task. Shewell told Global News that chemicals on site and vehicles parked inside can lead to added risks during fire scenarios.
“It’s a very complex search; it’s not like just going into an open building,” Shewell said.
He added that the size of commercial buildings and the visibility challenges they create lead to further difficulty during search operations.
The fire department said Thursday morning that Brydges Street had reopened near A-N Auto Electric. London police say the investigation is in its early stages and is being conducted by police with the assistance of the Ontario Fire Marshal.
Damage from the blaze is estimated to be $100,000.
— with files from 980 CFPL’s Jacquelyn LeBel.
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