4 dead, including 2 children, after townhome fire in Hamilton

Hamilton police say four people are dead, including two children, after a fire broke out at a townhome on Thursday night.

Police said crews responded to reports of a residential fire on Derby Street, near Upper Gage Avenue and Rymal Road East, shortly after 11 p.m.

“The first arriving crew reported a center unit in a row of town houses fully involved with heavy smoke and fire visible from both the front and rear of the unit,” Hamilton fire said.

Hamilton fire also said they were told there were people trapped on the second floor of the home.

“Crews advancing to the second floor encountered heavy smoke and high heat,” fire officials said, adding that the fire reached a third-alarm response.

Six people were found in the home and taken to hospital, police said.

Despite life-saving measures at the scene and in hospital, officials said four were pronounced dead — two adults and two children.

Two other adults remain in stable condition, police said.

Residents from neighbouring units were also evacuated but have since been allowed back into their units, fire officials said.

Neighbours described hearing the pop of shattered windows Thursday night as smoke escaped from the townhouse and flames lit up the sky.

Chris Theriault, who lives next door and had to evacuate as a result of the fire, said three or four neighbours were trying to get a ladder up to a man on the second floor.

“There was black smoke billowing and I heard children screaming inside to help them. Obviously by the time the firefighters got to them it was too late,” Theriault said Friday.

Another resident told Global News he feels concerned after the fire.

“I’m very concerned, these townhouses are very close together. That fire looked like it went up very quick. The whole roof was on fire,” Wesley Green said.

The Ontario fire marshal’s office has been called in to investigate the origin, circumstances and cause of the fire.

— With files from The Canadian Press