$700,000 in damage after overnight house fire in Windsor
Sirens woke up the block on Victoria Avenue near Elliott street around 2 a.m. Monday morning.
“Jumped up to see what was going on and looked out the window and saw this house, saw the flames shooting out of the roof. It was pretty scary,” said resident John Powell.
Windsor Fire officials say the flames started on the second floor but it wasn't long before the roof collapsed.Windsor fire works to contain a blaze on Victoria Avenue in the early morning hours of May 6, 2024. (Unofficial: On Location/Facebook)
“Too much damage in the structure to investigate so it's going to be undetermined at this time. No injuries,” said fire prevention officer Mike Coste.
Residents say the home has been vacant for a number of years and complaints have been filed with the city. Squatters are also known to have occupied parts of the house.
The neighbouring house to the south also sustained some damage.
“Built in the early 1900's. Wood tends to burn really quickly. I'm really thankful Windsor Fire and Rescue were able to save the house next door,” Powell said.
The house at 849 Victoria Avenue had a heritage status, but it's not designated historical.
The owner of the home was visibly shaken by the fire. He told CTV News he has been renovating the home and was looking forward to moving his family in.
Damage from the fire is estimated at about $700,000 dollars.
“It's a shame. It's sad,” Powell said. “It's a part of history that is gone.”
Today is the first day of Emergency Preparedness week and Windsor Fire officials remind the public to be ready for anything.
“I beat this to death every time but a good portion of people in the city still don't have working smoke alarms,” Coste said while pointing out there is a fire almost every week in the City of Windsor.
“Make sure you have an emergency escape plan and make sure that you practice it. Two ways in and out of every room. A meeting outside. Call 911. Do not go back in."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.