SUDBURY -- There were some terrifying moments in the early morning hours of Aug. 30 after three people including an infant were rescued from a house fire on St. Joseph Street near the city’s downtown core.
Deputy Fire Chief, Jess Oshell, says firefighters responded to the call just after 4 a.m. where they found residents trying to find a way out of the two-story duplex.
“When they arrived on scene, they were able to witness a 2 year old being lowered down to a neighbour from a window," said Oshell.
“There were occupants that were trying to escape out a window, so our crews quickly put up a ladder and help two adults escape.”
The mother of the child was taken to Health Sciences North and the grandmother suffered severe burns and has been transferred to a hospital in Toronto.
Bianca Ferland called 9-1-1 as soon as she saw the house on fire and she is still deeply disturbed by what she heard from her apartment balcony.
“By the time we opened the door to our balcony and looked out, the white smoke turned to into a huge huge flame and instantly I could hear a woman's cry for help,” said Ferland.
“I am a mom and I knew what kind of cry that was.”
Fire officials confirm two other people were rescued from the burning home and say several 9-1-1 calls came in
“As soon as I woke up and read that article, I went to my daughter who is four-years-old and I taught her how to call 9-1-1 with both my cell phone and my husband’s phones.”
Fire officials say they have not yet determined if there were working smoke alarms in the two-unit apartment building.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and the Ontario Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate.
