Canada: Multiple homes destroyed by fire in Bradword West Gwillimbury

After receiving the call at about 5 a.m about the fire near Line 6 and Melbourne Drive fire crews from Bradford, Innisfil and New Tecumseth were all dispatched to the scene, Global News reports said.

Fire Chief Kevin Gallant said that no one was living in the houses that caught fire which were just at the framing stage.

By the time the first crew arrived two of the homes had been gutted down by the fire which spread to three more houses, damaging five houses in toatal.

A number of homes nearby were also evacuated as a precaution, authorities said.

“Our concern at that point in time was to protect the exposures to all the new houses that have been built in the area and to evacuate the residents because we had embers falling from the sky,” Gallant said, Global News reported.

The fire was under control around 7 a.m. and no injuries were reported.

According to South Simcoe police the homes under construction were equipped with propane heaters inside.

“A lot of them had propane heaters inside. So that may be the cause,” Const. Rich Williams said. “Usually they stay on overnight so the workers can come in the morning and continue to work. So at this point and time, it’s one of the causes we’re looking at,” Global News reported.

The following post on the facebook account of  South Simcoe police said,

“Area residents have since returned home. Fire crews are cleaning up now and officers will be on scene awaiting an investigator from the Fire Marshal's office. We thank the Fire Services from East Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth and Innisfil for the mutual aid assistance.”

(Reported by Asha Bajaj, Image of Houses on fire: Wikipedia)