Oshawa rowhouse fire leaves four people unaccounted for

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Oshawa Fire Chief Derrick Clark became choked up as he described a rowhouse fire in the city’s Vanier neighbourhood.

Clark provided media an update Monday late morning as crews continued to look for four residents still unaccounted for at 149 Olive Ave., near Simcoe and Ritson Rds. after a raging blaze erupted around 1 a.m. that morning and flames had spread to seven residences.

Five other residents were injured and treated for smoke inhalation, burns and cuts as a result of the blaze and all but once have since been released from hospital. Fire officials said they believe all those injured in the fire were from the same home.

Clark would not provide specifics on whether children are among the four missing occupants.

“This is the worst day,” he said to reporters, taking a pause as he fought back tears. “This is very difficult. We’ve got four residents unaccounted for and at this time, it’s not looking like it’s going to have a positive end, but we’re going to continue our investigation and we’ll go from there.”

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Friends of an Oshawa family said they feared for the worst.

Aaron Clague said his friend lived in one of the homes and managed to escape with his wife and their youngest son after the flames broke out in the early hours of the morning.

“He told the kids to follow them. They didn’t get out,” Clague said. “The assumption is the worst right now.”

The wife and son were treated in hospital, but their condition is unknown, Clague said.

Sharon Powell, another family friend, said she came to the home after hearing about the blaze.

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“All I could think of is the children and hoping they made it out,” she said.

Clark said the inferno had caused extensive structural damage and several parts of the building have collapsed.

“The fire was very intense, very difficult for firefighters last night and it’s going to take us a while to sort it out,” he said.

A spokesperson from Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal said its role is to work with Durham Regional Police and Oshawa Fire to pinpoint the origin and cause of the fire.

“We’ll take all the circumstances of how the people were in the house, where they were to see if there was any smoke alarms or pre-alert for people to get out of the house,” he said.

Clark also noted that some residents of the seven units were being sheltered at a local hotel and were receiving aid from the Red cross and social service agencies.

“It would be very concerned if there weren’t any working smoke alarms in this building,” he said. “I don’t know how many times fire chiefs have to stand here and say this over and over — make sure you have working smoke alarms.”

jyuen@postmedia.com

–With files by the Canadian Press