A man escaped without injury after fire tore through his northwest London home on Wednesday.
Fire officials say the man had just gone back inside the home at 565 Leyton Cres. around noon after doing some yard work, when popping noises drew his attention to the fire.
District Fire Chief Al Braatz said the homeowner was standing on the front lawn in shock when fire crews arrived on scene.
"The whole rear exterior of the house was fully involved. The flame was extending up above the roof line, it looked like it was up 20 ft above the roof line, with thick turbulent black smoke going up into the air. It was a major, major fire," said Braatz.
At times, there were 50 firefighters on scene battling the blaze and an aerial water cannon was deployed. London police and EMS were also on scene.
"It was very hard to extinguish for some reason," said Braatz. "What was going on inside the house kept feeding the back. There were some void spaces and attic fires we couldn't get at from inside so the aerial unit was put up to ventilate and look for hidden fires in the attic. Just a tough fire to get at."
The heat from the flames combined with the high temperature outside made conditions dangerous for firefighters. They worked in shifts battling the fire and taking rests to re-hydrate.
After nearly two and a half hours, crews were able to get the fire under control. Fire prevention officers are investigating the cause of the blaze and whether a propane-based tool being used by the homeowner prior to the fire was a factor.
A damage estimate has not been released but the home was significantly damaged. The intense heat melted the vinyl siding on a neighbouring home.
Leyton Cres. between Bromleigh Ave. and Wychwood Park was blocked off for much of the day.