The Chesley Fire Department and members of South Bruce OPP responded to a blaze around 1:30am Monday on 5th Ave. Southwest in Chesley. Flames had spread from one house to another.
Chesley Fire Chief Robert Bell confirms there are three people unaccounted for. Two people were taken to hospital.
"Upon arrival, it was fully involved and at this point, there still remains three unaccounted for. The fire marshall's office investigators are on scene now and we're beginning that process," says Bell.
He says it was a difficult scene, to begin with.
"At the time there are a lot of things to do when you hear there are possibly people still in the structure and there are others that need to be tended to and other exposures. It's a very very difficult busy scene for the first several minutes," says Bell.
Neighbours are obviously shaken up. One who declined to be identified says the missing are a father and two young children. She says a mother and baby escaped.
Bell says it's too early to say how the fire started.
The fire marshall's office is investigating and a coroner has been called in.
The house next door was damaged by the fire and others in the area have heat damage. Families in houses in the immediate vicinity were evacuated for a time but they're back in their homes.
