Two saved from Hamilton encampment blaze

Two people were saved from a blaze in an encampment in Hamilton’s Woodland Park today.

The fire erupted shortly before 5 p.m. near a bathroom in the park at 501 Barton St. According to Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe, the first crew to arrive noted the bathroom was ablaze and there were heavy flames on the roof.

Seeing how large the fire had grown the response was upgraded by an “alarm” to bring in additional resources from across the city. The crew busted into the bathroom and found two people inside. Firefighters removed the pair and Hamilton paramedics treated them on scene.

A few firefighters remained inside the structure to fight the flames. However, the fire had grown too strong and was causing the building to partially collapse. The firefighters evacuated the building and continued to battle the inferno from the outside, including with an “aerial device.”

Cunliffe described the damage to the structure as “extensive” and estimated it would cost $500,000 to repair. He said it seemed most likely the fire started at the outside of the building and spread to the roof. However, he did not comment on potential causes.

The Ontario Fire Marshall has been notified and is investigating. Thanks to the quick action of Hamilton Fire, no one was hurt.

Statement from #HamOnt Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe regarding today's fire at an encampment in Woodlands Park.
Two people rescued. The fire spread from the encampment causing severe damage to the public washroom structure, the people found in the washroom building. pic.twitter.com/rgd0Cc2LyN

— Joey Coleman (@JoeyColeman) January 3, 2024