Four people, including an infant, were rescued on Friday night after a fire broke out at a north Oakville home.
According to Oakville's fire chief Paul Boissonneault, a late-night fire broke out in a three-story townhouse at 105 Georgian Drive on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, prompting a swift response from Oakville Fire crews.
The fire department received the call at 11:39 p.m., and the chief says crews arrived on scene within three minutes.
Upon arrival, firefighters saw two men, a woman, and an infant on the second-floor roof, having been driven there by heavy smoke after they initially sought safety on the balcony. Firefighters successfully rescued the people from the roof while other fire units worked to contain the flames from the rear of the structure.
Two other people on the first floor were also safely evacuated with assistance from fire crews.
One man suffered minor burns, possibly while attempting to open the interior door to the burning garage, and he was transported to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Boissonneault says. The adult female and her infant were also taken to the hospital as a precaution, due to possible smoke inhalation.
Neighbouring units were temporarily evacuated, with affected residents being sheltered on an Oakville transit bus.
Oakville Fire says the rescued man, woman and infant have been given temporary lodging.
Boissonneault also says the fire was brought under control in a short time. An Oakville fire investigator remained on site Saturday morning to determine the cause of the fire, which has not yet been deemed suspicious.
Damage estimates are currently unavailable, pending the completion of the investigation.
"Working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors save lives and are critical for life safety," he said, urging residents to ensure their alarms are functioning.
Following the incident, Oakville Fire plans to initiate its "After the Alarm" program in the surrounding community to provide support and fire safety education.
No further updates are expected before Monday, according to sources from Oakville Fire.