Almost a dozen people taken to hospital were among the 24 rescued, officials say, after a fire at the YMCA’s transitional housing residence for men.
Of 11 people sent to hospital with injuries, two remain in critical condition, Hamilton police said on social media Monday.
Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe said in a press release late Monday afternoon that they were called, just after noon, to “a report of alarm conditions at the YMCA located at 79 James St. South.”
The release said “as crews entered into the building to investigate they found smoke on the second floor and immediately upgraded the alarm to a multiple alarm fire, bring additional resources from across the City to the scene. It was then determined that the fire was on the third floor with heavy smoke conditions on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors.”
Cunliffe said firefighters found “numerous” people inside that needed rescue and many others were hanging out of windows on multiple floors. The release said the alarm was upgraded to a third and fourth alarm and “three aerial ladders were put into operation to rescue residents from windows.”
Cunliffe said “24 residents were rescued/assisted from the building, 19 residents by firefighters who were performing search and rescue operations inside the building and 5 residents who were rescued from windows by firefighters using aerial ladders.”
The release said the third floor suffered “significant fire damage” while the third, fourth and fifth floors suffered “significant smoke damage.”
Cunliffe said, at the “height of the incident,” there were 65 fire personnel on the scene and the “Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified and will be responding with two investigators in the morning.”
People living in the building won’t be allowed back in tonight. The cause of the fire is under investigation and “damage estimates are in the $1,000,000.00 range.”
By 1:30 p.m. the fire was under control.
Hamilton police closed off James Street S. between Main and Hunter streets for the investigation.
“We ask the community to plan ahead and consider alternative routes when travelling through the downtown core to ensure safe and smooth travel,” police spokesperson Krista-Lee Ernst said in the afternoon.
We are active at a multiple alarm fire at the YMCA. Fire is on the 3rd floor. Under control. Multiple rescues. <a href=”https://t.co/QACWd5XArX”>pic.twitter.com/QACWd5XArX</a>
—@HamiltonFireDep
Residents stood outside James Street S. in the hot sun, waiting for an update.
The downtown residence provides 210 men with short-term affordable housing, the YWCA’s website says. It supports “men at risk,” who face health and social challenges.
Lyndon George, executive director of Hamilton’s Anti-Racism Resource Centre, said on social media that the residence plays a “key role” in supporting residents and noted few YMCA’s in Ontario still provide this transitional housing option.