6 residents escape Guelph house fire thanks to smoke alarms: deputy chief

The Guelph Fire Department says working smoke alarms helped six residents escape an early morning house fire in the city’s east end on Tuesday.

Crews were dispatched to a semi-detached house on Victoria Road, near York Road, at around 12:45 a.m. and found heavy black smoke coming from the back door.

Firefighters found the blaze in the basement and it was quickly brought under control and extinguished.

One person was treated at the scene and then taken to hospital, while five others were not injured.

“This morning’s fire is a reminder that working smoke alarms save lives,” deputy fire chief Steven Goode said.

Goode added that working smoke alarms must be on every storey of a home and outside all bedrooms.

1:37 Fire Officials Urge Residents to Check Smoke Alarms, Practice Escape Plans

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and damage is estimated at more than $100,000.

Investigators were still at the scene on Tuesday afternoon.