A man ran into a burning townhouse in Mississauga on Friday to try to get his mother and brother out, braving the thick smoke and hot conditions, neighbours say.
The fire broke out at a residence at 3079 Fifth Line, in the area of Erin Mills Parkway and Dundas Street West, shortly before 6 p.m.
Jeff Dove and his son Cole were just sitting outside their house when their neighbour arrived home.
“We’re just chatting for a minute, and he ran into the house, and 10 seconds later he ran back out and (said) ‘Help, help, Help. Smoke, smoke, help,” Jeff recounted to CTV News Toronto.
The father and son then called 911, but were put on hold.
“By that time, we were running over to the house, and it was smoked like you couldn’t see past four feet into the house,” Jeff said.
He recalled seeing his neighbour trying to run back into the burning house and yelling for his mom and brother.
Jeff said the homeowner would run back out shortly to catch his breath.
“He did that two or three times. And the last time he was in there, a little longer than I thought was comfortable, and I ran in, yelled at him… ‘Let’s go. Get out, you can’t help,” Jeff recounted.
“He crawled to the foyer and kind of passed, broke down, and me and another gentleman just dragged him out of the house onto the porch steps, and at that point, the fire department came, and that’s where my job ended.”
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Service (MFES) Duty Chief Daniel Boyer said when crews arrived, they encountered thick black smoke and heavy flames throughout the house.
“Prior to our arrival, the neighbours of the adjoining house performed numerous rescue attempts on the occupants,” Boyer said, noting that their attempts were unsuccessful.
Crews located the homeowner, a man in his 50s, on the front lawn, overcome by heat and smoke, said Boyer.
He noted that the homeowner had just arrived when he saw the residence on fire and tried to get inside to rescue two other occupants, but was also unsuccessful.
Boyers said firefighters found two people, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 80s, on the main floor and pulled them out.
“Resuscitation efforts were provided while on scene for two patients who were unresponsive, and we were able to revive the patients at that time,” the deputy chief said.
All three were later rushed to the hospital in serious condition.
In a subsequent update, Boyer shared that all victims were in stable condition.
He doesn’t have information on whether the three occupants of the home are related. Neighbours told CTV News Toronto that a woman and her two adult sons lived there.
Boyer said the fire was primarily located in the basement and first floor.
The fire has been knocked down, and Boyer said it was contained in the townhouse. The cause, origin and circumstances are unknown.
The deputy chief commended the neighbours for their heroic efforts in trying to rescue the occupants of the home.
“A real dynamic situation and the community pulled together to try and facilitate rescue efforts,” Boyer said.
“The community really went above and beyond to assist with the rescue fire.”
Cole said he tried to open the back door, but it was locked, so he smashed a window open and was met by thick smoke.
“Couldn’t see a thing, like I couldn’t breathe. My eyes were burning. It was so bad I couldn’t believe it,” Cole told CTV News Toronto.
He said they did not see any smoke until the homeowner went into the house.
“Nobody had any idea that the fire was even there until he opened the front door,” Cole said.
The father and the son are glad that their neighbours are in stable condition.
“It’s so devastating to have it still happen so close,” Jeff said. “I can’t fathom what they’re going to go through for the next period of time.”
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Mike Walker
