Barton Street East fire sends one to hospital

One person was transported to hospital after a multiple-alarm fire in central Hamilton on Monday afternoon.

In a media release, Chief Dave Cunliffe of the Hamilton Fire Department said emergency services were called to a structure fire on Barton Street East, between East Avenue North and Emerald Street North, just after 3:20 p.m.

Cunliffe said firefighters reported seeing heavy smoke pouring from a second-storey window of the two-and-a-half-storey building that had a mix of both residential and commercial units. Crews had also been told that someone may still be inside the building.

Crews entered the building and made their way up to the second floor to search for the person as well as put out the blaze.

There, firefighters encountered high heat, heavy smoke and flames, said Cunliffe. It was soon determined that the occupant had made it out of the building.

Cunliffe said the blaze was quickly brought under control, but not before it caused significant damage" to one of the apartments on the second floor. Other areas of the building also suffered both smoke and water damage.

One person was treated at the scene by paramedics and was later transported to hospital, according to the release. Supt. Dave Thompson of the Hamilton Paramedic Service later told The Spectator that a man in his 40s was transported to hospital in stable condition.

Cunliffe said both the cause of the fire and estimated damages had not been determined as of Monday evening.

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com