One woman was killed early Wednesday morning in a house fire near downtown Brantford.
Around 2:30 a.m., fire crews arrived on scene of the home – on George Street near Durham Street – to find the duplex fully engulfed in flames.
“The whole house is damaged, but I would say the bulk of the fire (was) in the living room area,” Brantford Fire Capt. Greg Monarch told CTV News.
Craig Avery, who lives nearby, said he woke up in the middle of the night and noticed the fire right away.
“Flames were flying about six feet out the (front) door,” he said.
A woman, who police have identified as 77-year-old Ethel Bolton, was found dead inside the home.
“It’s sad. Very sad. I feel for the family,” neighbour Tom Rush said.
Members of the young family living in the other unit were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure, Brantford Police said.
With temperatures hovering around -20 C for much of the morning, firefighters had to deal with freezing hydrants and other cold-related issues.
The Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate.
