'Such outcomes are unspeakable': Fatal fire in Waterloo under investigation
Flames and smoke could be seen shooting out of a home on Graham Street in Waterloo shortly after midnight on Monday, creating a scene that firefighters say was intense before they arrived.
“When they turned off of Weber Street onto Roger, they could see the glow of the fire and smoke. That in addition to multiple calls about the fire, they knew that they were responding to a very significant incident,” Waterloo Fire Chief Richard Hepditch said.
Fire officials were able to get the fire under control just after 3 a.m., but multiple people were sent to hospital, including a 54-year-old woman who was pronounced dead.
A 58-year-old man and a 30-year-old man were also rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Such outcomes are unspeakable. There’s no way that we can know how the family is grieving and feeling, but we can get behind them as a community as family friends and loved ones to help out,” said Hepditch.
“Our crews also were able to perform a rescue from the exterior of the property,” he added. “Though a tragic outcome, we’d like to acknowledge their contributions to a very significant fire and we thank them for their efforts.”
In a statement released Monday afternoon, the City of Waterloo said it offers its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the Waterloo resident who tragically died in the fire.
“On behalf of council, we join the family and friends of the deceased in mourning the loss of life as a result of this devastating fire. We offer our sincere condolences,” said Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe. “We also extend our gratitude to the emergency services staff who responded swiftly to the scene.”
The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal (OFM) is also investigating.
“[We are] focusing our efforts on the north side of the building. We won’t have those answers until our investigation is complete,” said Michael Bird, a fire investigator with the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM).
The OFM uncovered another heartbreaking discovery, learning four dogs and three cats were also inside the home.
“So far the ones we’ve located have been deceased,” said Bird.
The City of Waterloo said four buildings were impacted by the fire -- two of them significantly.
It is estimating about $1.5 million in total damages.
“We should have the scene examination by the end of the day [Tuesday],” Bird said. “It may be sooner, it may be later, I’m not sure at this point.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.