Fire destroys top floor of home near York U

Fire crews on scene of a two-alarm blaze at a townhouse near York University, Apr. 1, 2013. TWITTER/@sabrinarenna

At least 20 people are homeless after a massive blaze fully engulfed the top floor of a semi-detached home near York University.

The fire broke out around 4:30 p.m. on Applebaum Terrace near Keele Street and The Pond Road.

Fire officials told CityNews the flames broke through the roof of the house and spread to the adjacent unit.

Everyone inside the home, as well as pets, managed to escape the blaze unharmed.

Michael, who lived in a unit on the second floor, told CityNews he was fast asleep when the fire broke out and woke up to the sounds of people screaming.

“People from the third floor were screaming and shouting that there was a fire on the third floor,” he said. “It spread out like instantly, burning all the stuff. I heard windows cracking and shattering.”

Other residents who were not home at the time said they were shocked to hear about the blaze.

“My friend texted me to say my house was on fire,” Naba, who rents a unit in the house told CityNews. “I thought it was an April Fool’s joke.”

He said he lost all of his valuables, including his passport.

Crews had difficulty extinguishing the blaze due to high winds.

York officials told CityNews the building is not a student residence affiliated with the university however at least 15 people have taken advantage of a shelter set up on the first floor of the Bennett Centre for those displaced by the fire.

There has been no word on what caused the blaze but officials say the fire is not being considered as suspicious and there were working smoke alarms in the home.

Damage to both units is estimated at over $500,000.

Sunday, March 17, 2013 3:27:38 EDT PM
St. Catharines Standard:

The St. Catharines Fire Department is treating as suspicious a Saturday fire at a building on the corner of Lake and Queen Sts. in the city’s downtown.
Emergency crews were called to the 9:23 p.m. blaze that appeared to start in the exterior porch area of the empty structure at 73 Queen St.
The blaze, which spread into a rear-roof area, was soon under control by St. Catharines firefighters and there were no injuries.
“It appears it was an exterior fire, then worked up the walls and up into the roof area,” said St. Catharines fire chief Mark Mehlenbacher.
“Obviously there’s concern as the fire started on the exterior ... that’s very unusual,” he said of the building, which was under renovation. “Right now we’re treating it as suspicious and will be investigated by St. Catharines fire prevention and Niagara Regional Police.”
Mehlenbacher said the fire is estimated to have caused between $50,000 to $75,000, but damage to the interior was not extensive.
He said adjacent structures were not damaged.

By Dan Dakin, St. Catharines Standard

Friday, March 15, 2013 1:07:10 EDT PM

Thorold fire chief Chris Halliday said working smoke alarms likely kept five Brock University students from being injured.
Dan Dakin, Standard Staff

The smoke alarms rang out alerting the five young occupants their house was on fire.

They briefly tried to fight the flames with the fire extinguisher their landlord had installed and showed them how to use, but when things got out of control they ran outside to a set location in the front yard.

As cliché as it sounds, this one could have been much worse.

“Working smoke alarms will save your life and it happened right here,” Thorold fire chief Chris Halliday said Friday morning while standing on the lawn in front of 179 St. David's Rd. in Thorold.

It was inside the two-storey home just after 7 p.m. Thursday night that the five Brock University students who rent the home realized one of the upstairs bedrooms was on fire.

“When we got here, they were all out safely,” Halliday said. “It speaks to this issue of working smoke alarms on every floor alerting you quickly. They got out and called 911. They did the right thing.”

Property owner Frank Serravalle bought the house as an investment two years ago and said he takes fire safety seriously.

“Every six months we change the batteries in the smoke alarms and we teach (the renters) what to do and where to meet if there's a fire,” he said. “Before they walk in we teach them fire safety.”

Damage is estimated at $50,000 and the cause is still being investigated, but Halliday said it's not considered suspicious.