Townhouse fire leaves three Kitchener families displaced

At least three families are displaced after a house fire in Kitchener on Friday night, according to the Kitchener Fire Department.

Caroline Montano said it was around 8 p.m. when she heard a big knock at her front door on Donnenwerth Drive. Someone came to warn her about the fire happening at the home connected to hers in the townhouse complex.

"Our neighbour's house was on fire from the top, so we had to just quickly evacuate with my son and my husband,” said Montano.“We’re just trying to figure out where we’re going to be staying at the moment. The house is pretty infused with the smell of the smoke at the moment so it’s not safe for our son to stay there and whatnot."

According to Andy O’Reilly, a Platoon Chief with the Kitchener Fire Department, several homes were affected by the fire and at least three families have been displaced.

"Two units were heavily affected by the fire in the roof area. A third unit has moderate damage and the other two right now only have minor smoke damage," said O’Reilly on Friday.

According to O’Reilly, 33 firefighters responded to the incident to allow crews to rotate through while they fought the fire.

He said fire crews arrived to heavy smoke coming from the home.

"There was heavy fire in the back, extending up the siding into the roof area, with heavy fire venting out through the roof of 79," said O’Reilly."The majority part of the damage is in the third floor and the attic areas and the roof areas of the two main units and siding on the rear part of three units. Right now the cause is under investigation and we’re coordinating with the Fire Marshall’s office."

Kolton Simpson filmed some of the incidents on Friday. He said he was sitting down for dinner when he saw a few fire trucks drive down the road and noticed the smoke coming from a nearby home.

"I ran outside in my bare feet and ran down the street and started taking videos and pictures," said Simpson. "At first, there was a lot of smoke then all of a sudden it burst into flames."

Simpson said around 200 neighbours came out of their homes to check out the commotion.

"It was pretty wild, you could feel the heat, the adrenaline. It was pretty wild," Simpson said.

Fire crews were back on scene Saturday. In the evening, it was reported that the home had begun smoking again.

Local investigators are working with the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office as they look into what might have sparked the fire.