An overnight fire caused an estimated $250,000 damage to a two-storey home in east London.
Fire crews received several 911 calls about the blaze at 657 Hamilton Rd., east of Egerton around 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday. When firefighters arrived on scene, smoke and flames were coming from the back of the home.
"Our crews stretched a waterline to the rear and were able to initially start fighting the fire from the exterior and then when the second crew arrived they made an aggressive attack on the interior," said Platoon Chief Colin Shewell. "They encountered high heat and low visibility throughout the structure. By ventilating we were able to get better visibility, get the heat down."
It is believed the blaze started in a second floor bedroom. All of the occupants of the home, which is divided into three apartments, were able to escape unharmed.
Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters helped residents retrieve some of their personal items from inside the severely damaged home.
"These people had a traumatic event, they had a bad day and our crews were there to help them get their personal belongings out. That was one positive I saw," said Shewell. "A lot of people don't understand that we not only put out the fires, but will provide assistance to get belongings out and provide assistance in finding a place to stay."
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but is not considered to be suspicious.