Homes suffer huge damage from multiple-alarm fire in Hamilton’s west end

A multiple-alarm fire in Hamilton’s west end Wednesday has caused extensive damage estimated to be as much as $500,000 to a single-storey row house and a neighbouring unit.

No one was home at the time of the fire and the cause is still being investigated, according to David Cunliffe, fire chief of the Hamilton Fire Department.

The Hamilton Fire Department received a report of a residential structure fire at 46 Lochearne St. near Breadalbane St. in Ward 1 just after 5 p.m. yesterday (Sept. 6).

The first crews reported that the attic and eves area were up in flames in unit 46, the middle unit in a block of six single-storey row houses.

The alarm was upgraded to a multiple alarm because of concerns that the fire had extended into other units, Cunliffe said.

“Firefighters then entered the units on either side of unit #46 and performed search and rescue operations and firefighting operations,” he said in a press release. “It was then reported that the fire had extended into unit #44.” 

Because of the high temperatures and the fire conditions, extra crews were brought to the scene so crews could be rotated and allowed to cool down and rehydrate.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in approximately 20 minutes, he said. 

The fire caused extensive damage to both units 46 and 44.