Firefighters in front of the remains of 133 Harbour St. in Brighton, where two people were killed in a fire Wednesday morning. Photo by Jessica Clement, QNet News
By Kayla Haggett [1], Dariya Baiguzhiyeva [2], Rebecca McMullen [3] and Jessica Clement [4]
BRIGHTON – Skies were bright Wednesday afternoon, but below them a house with a collapsed roof and a wedged open door spoke of the tragedy that occurred hours earlier when two people were unable to get out of the burning building and died in the blaze.
The names of the victims have not yet been released because their next of kin have yet to be notified, according to a statement issued by Brighton chief administrative officer Bill Watson Wednesday morning.
Grant Fleming, a neighbour of the home at 133 Harbour St., was the person who made the call to 911. Fleming told QNet News he heard someone shouting at 7 a.m., looked out his window and spotted the fire.
The residents of the house were a couple in their late 60s, Fleming said. They moved in about three months ago, he said. Another neighbour, Diana Tiessen, said she didn’t know any of the details about the fire but that the owners of the house are a nice couple.
Watson’s statement said the Brighton fire department were called around 7:25 a.m., and when they arrived the house was engulfed in flames.
Firefighters found the first victim while trying to get the fire under control, the statement said. It was later determined that a second victim was unable to escape the home. The two victims were the only ones in the house when the fire started, Brighton deputy fire chief Rick Caddick told QNet News reporters at the scene.
Around two dozen firefighters were at the scene and were able to get the fire under control in an hour, said Caddick. As of early Wednesday afternoon, crews remain at the scene dealing with hot spots.
Harbour Street in Brighton remained closed as of early Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Jessica Clement, QNet News
“We are deeply saddened by these events and offer our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of those who lost their lives this morning,” Brighton Mayor Mark Walas and fire chief Lloyd Hutchinson said in a statement Wednesday.
Crews from the Cramahe Township and Trent Hills fire departments provided backup at Brighton’s firehalls while the town’s firefighters remained at the scene.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. A crew from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office was expected.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, Harbour Street remained closed to traffic between Ontario Street and Edgewater Drive.
People are being asked to stay away from the scene while cleanup continues.
With files from Rebecca McMullen and Jessica Clement, QNet News