Hamilton home fire kills four, including two children

HAMILTON — A fire has killed four people, including two children, in Hamilton, southern Ontario.

The two adults and two children died in hospital after firefighters found them on the second floor of the burning home Thursday night, Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe said at the scene Friday.

« They did everything they could in very difficult conditions, » he said of the emergency crews. It’s very difficult when you take people out and they unfortunately succumb to their injuries.

Two other people who were inside the home in Hamilton’s southeast neighborhood were also taken to hospital, where they were in stable condition, police said in a statement early Friday morning. .

Police did not immediately confirm the identity of the victims, the relationship between them or details of the other two people found inside the home.

Firefighters were called just after 11 p.m. Thursday night. When they arrived, heavy smoke and flames were already coming from the front and back of the townhouse, the fire department said.

The first team to arrive at the scene were told there were people trapped on the second floor, the service said.

Firefighters battled flames, thick smoke and high heat as they pulled four people from the second floor, Chief Cunliffe said.

Firefighters and paramedics began rescue measures on the four people, including two children, before they were taken to hospital. Rescue measures continued there, firefighters said, but all four people died of their injuries.

The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage have not yet been determined.

“On behalf of the Office of the Fire Marshal, I would like to offer our condolences to family, friends and all first responders involved in this very tragic situation,” said Assistant Commissioner Tim Beckett.

Residents of the two adjacent units were evacuated Thursday evening and could return home Friday, police and firefighters said.