London fire officials are probing the cause of an apartment fire in east London that sent one person to hospital with minor injuries.
Firefighters were called to the residential building on Thiel Street, near the area of Dundas and Saskatoon streets just before 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Heavy smoke and flames were seen pluming from a second-storey window by the time crews arrived. All of the tenants managed to escape and the fire was extinguished by 7 p.m.
"The damage was contained to the one unit. There is always some smoke migration into the hallways, but all of the other suites were tenable," said Platoon Chief Kirk Loveland.
All of the tenants, except the ones in the affected unit, were allowed back inside later in the evening.
One person was assessed by paramedics on scene. That individual was taken to hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, Loveland said.
According to a preliminary damage estimate, the fire caused $125,000 in damages.
Investigators were back at the scene Friday working to determine the origin, cause, and circumstances of the blaze. Part of that investigation will include whether the unit had working smoke alarms.
"Upon our arrival there were no working smoke alarms. But that doesn't mean that there were not any in the occupancy at the time because it was at the point where [the fire] had already flashed and they would have been melted and burnt off the ceiling. So we aren't sure if they were functioning, but the investigators will try to determine that," said Loveland.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is assisting with the investigation.
London firefighters on scene after a fire broke out at a residence on Thiel Street. May 5, 2022. (Image via @LdnOntFire on Twitter.)
