Five critically injured, including three children, in Burlington, Ont., house fire

BURLINGTON — A fire broke out inside a residential home in Burlington, Ont., on Saturday morning, leaving five people, including three children, with serious, life-threatening injuries.

Halton Regional Police said a man, a woman and three children were taken to hospital in critical condition after being rescued from a home in a residential complex in the Maple Crossing Boulevard area.

Paramedic services also reported taking a sixth person to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries linked to the fire.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, and police and fire crews remained at the scene.

Sudden fire in the early morning hours

The incident began at about 6:45 a.m. Saturday, when emergency crews received a report of a fire inside one of the attached homes in a residential complex at 1300 Maple Crossing Boulevard.

The area is near Freeman Street in Burlington, which is west of Toronto.

When firefighters arrived, flames and smoke were coming from the damaged unit.

Local reports indicated the fire started in a second-floor bedroom before firefighters brought it under control.

Authorities said the fire was confined to one unit and did not spread to neighbouring homes in the complex.

Three children among those critically injured

Halton Regional Police said emergency crews found five people inside the home: a man, a woman and three children.

They were taken to hospital with injuries police described as life-threatening.

According to local coverage, one of the children is about 12 years old, while the other two are under the age of five.

However, authorities have not officially released the identities or exact ages of those injured.

They also have not confirmed whether the five people belong to the same family.

In a separate development, paramedic services said they took a sixth person to hospital, but that person's injuries are not life-threatening.

The nature of the injuries is not yet clear, including whether they were caused by burns, smoke inhalation or other factors linked to the incident.

31 emergency personnel help put out the fire

Local authorities mobilized fire, paramedic and police crews to respond to the incident.

According to BurlingtonToday, 31 emergency personnel took part, supported by nine rescue and fire vehicles.

Crews were able to bring out the five people who were inside the home before they were taken for medical care.

Firefighters also managed to bring the flames under control and prevent them from spreading to other units.

Security measures remained in place around the home after the fire was out, to allow the investigation and an assessment of the damage.

Property damage estimated at about $350,000

Initial estimates indicated the fire caused about $350,000 in damage.

Authorities restricted access to parts of the residential complex while specialist teams continued examining the site.

According to local coverage, police and firefighters were still in the area at 10:30 a.m.

It is not clear whether the home will be uninhabitable because of the damage, or when residents will be able to return.

Police describe the scene as tragic

Police officers described the scene emergency crews faced as tragic, given the large number of injured people and the seriousness of their condition.

Authorities said their priority was rescuing the people trapped inside the home and providing urgent medical care.

They also said the investigation is still in its early stages and that it is too soon to determine what caused the fire.

Police have not announced any evidence that the fire was deliberately set.

Official investigation into the cause of the fire

The Office of the Fire Marshal of Ontario was notified of the incident because of the seriousness of the injuries and the extent of the damage.

Investigators are expected to work to determine where the fire started and what caused it to spread inside the home.

The investigation may include examining electrical systems, heating equipment and smoke alarms, along with evidence at the scene.

However, authorities have not confirmed so far that the fire is linked to any of these factors.

While awaiting the results of the investigation, the responsible agencies continue to monitor the condition of those injured and assess the damage to property.