Fire rips through Kitchener townhomes, residents displaced

At least three units in a townhouse complex are damaged, displacing many residents, after a fire on Green Valley Drive in Kitchener on Wednesday afternoon.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and the Ontario Fire Marshal is expected to arrive on scene Thursday.

Officials said no people were hurt, but some family cats are unaccounted for.

Kitchener Fire said the call came in at around 1 p.m.

Seven firetrucks raced to the scene, with firefighters trying to attack the flames from several angles. Crews deployed the aerial ladder and climbed onto nearby roofs to get leverage, while people on the ground focused on limiting the spread through backyards.

According to a media release sent out by Waterloo regional police on Thursday, the fire started on a deck and spread rapidly to the rear of a home located in a residential complex. All adjoining units were evacuated by police.

A photo posted on Twitter shows a large cloud of smoke coming from the homes in the area. (Twitter/GrilaBlitznet)

DELIVER DRIVER RUSHES TO HELP

A food delivery driver said he witnessed the fire and jumped in to help.

“I completed my delivery and I was going back to my van when I saw smoke coming out of unit number 19,” Jaydeep Ukani told CTV News. "Huge smoke, and no one came out from that house."

Ukani said he and a neighbour knocked on the door of a unit to help save the person inside.

“He opened to backyard door and then boom, all the fire and smoke coming out,” he said. “When I saw the fire when he opened the door. I felt so bad for that guy.”

He said he helped the man and dogs exit the unit.

"After 15 to 20 minutes, the fire is spreading to three houses almost. The fire department keeps trying and keeps trying and after half an hour the fire is almost at the last house,” Ukani said. "He has two dogs inside and he was helping me to take out the dogs so at least we can save someone, you know? Then we called the fire department."

An aerial truck is seen at a fire on Green Valley Drive on May 31, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV News)

NEIGHBOUR REACTS

A man who lives in a townhome across the street told CTV News his landlord called him saying his house was on fire.

He rushed home and was relieved his unit wasn't involved, but says he could not help but worry.

“I’m very nervous because I have three little children because these homes are attached. My wife and I we were talking. I don’t know if the lines are connected too, so we don’t know if something is not right with the main line,” Kenneth Kingsley said.

With reporting from CTV Kitchener's Krista Sharpe and Shelby Knox.