Careless smoking behind early morning apartment fire

A man in his 60s was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after a fire in a sixth-floor apartment unit Thursday morning.

Hamilton fire was called to 1884 Main St. W. shortly after 6 a.m. and found fire in a sixth-floor unit, said Steve Welton, assistant deputy fire chief. The lone tenant in the apartment had taken shelter on the balcony.

Firefighters quickly extinguished a fire and rescued the man, he said.

The fire was caused by careless smoking, Welton said. It caused an estimated $75,000 in damages.

The man in his 60s was transported to hospital with minor smoke inhalation, said Hamilton Paramedic Service Supt. Dave Thompson.

He was in stable condition and able to speak with paramedics, he added.

The other tenants were allowed back into the building and all emergency services had left the scene after 8 a.m.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com