By Grant LaFleche, The Standard Sunday, February 3, 2013 8:08:01 EST PM
The flames were so intense, they forced the fire fighters to retreat. Even if they had been able to withstand the terrible heat Sunday afternoon, it would have been too late for the person inside the house.
The provincial fire marshal's office and local fire investigators are still probing the cause of the Davidson Street blaze that destroyed the ramshackle, one story home killing one person and two dogs.
"The police are calling in their (forensics) unit and the fire marshal's investigators and our own fire inspection officers will do examining that," said St. Catharines deputy fire chief Dave Wood.
Wood said fire fighters were called to the street around noon and the home at 39 Davidson St. was already engulfed in flame and smoke.
"There were several rooms that were filled with a lot of combustibles that made fighting the fire a challenge," Wood said.
He said when fire fighters first enter a burning building, their first priority is to rescue anyone who may be inside. During their first search, he said fire crews came across the bodies of two dogs and a person who has yet to be identified.
Wood said the fire made it impossible for fire crews to anymore inside at that time, including removing the body. Fire fighters were evacuated and the blaze fought from the outside until it was safe to enter.
Wood said an investigation will tell the tale, but it appears the fire started in either the kitchen or the living room at the front of the home, the areas where the fire was the most intense.
Although fire crews were able to beat back the flames, there were still hot spots through the house and smoke leaked from the roofs as fire fighters used a saw to cut their way through the shingles and wood.
After the fire was brought under control, fire chief Mark Mehlenbacher confirmed that a dead person was found in the home.
Neighbours declined to speak on the record, but said 39 Davidson St. was home to a single elderly lady who seemed to keep to herself and had few visitors besides a nurse.
Wood expected fire crews would be on scene until Sunday evening and the investigation into the blaze would extend into Monday at least.
