One person dies in house fire on Bruce Avenue

A Windsor fire investigator was on the scene of a fatal house fire on Bruce Avenue on Thursday morning.

Crews were called to the 1500 block of Bruce Avenue, where the origin and cause of the fire are under investigation.

Three occupants were transported to hospital with serious injuries. Fire officials say one person has died.

“I'm just thankful to be alive,” said Carrie Carter, who was fast asleep in her home on Bruce Avenue between Hanna Street and Shepherd West when her husband woke her up shortly after 5am. “My husband was grabbing me and shaking me to get out of bed to say there's a fire in the bedroom next door, which is attached to our room.”

Their security cam shows the unit attached to their rowhouse was on fire. Her husband Mike said that he was just getting up to walk his dog when he was startled by a couple of loud bangs.

Mike Patsouris spoke with CTV News Windsor following a fire in a Windosr row-house on Thursday, August 22, 2024 (Bob Bellacicco/CTV News Windsor)

“I thought somebody was breaking in cars again,” Mike Patsouris said. “I go in the backyard and next thing I know, I see flames coming out of the next door neighbor's window.”

Patsouris said he immediately called 911 and went to get his family out of their house. He then went to check on his neighbours.

“I went back inside, grabbed the fire extinguisher, went into the house to go see because I knew there's three people in there.”

He entered his neighbor’s home and began to scream hoping to hear any sign of life. Patsouris heard a voice from the second floor and started to make his way up the stairs but the smoke was too much to handle.

“My chest, literally, it was like somebody was squeezing it.” Patsouris said.

Firefighters arrived shortly thereafter and were able to retrieve the occupants, much to the delight of thankful Patsouris. “They do the job that a lot of people cannot, would never do. I tried, and you know what? Thank God they showed up.”

The OFM was called to the scene to find the origin and cause of the blaze. “My heart goes out. That's all I can say. My heart goes out, and, God be with them,” said Carter.