UPDATED: Man in 20s dead in Westdale house fire

A man in his 20s is dead after a fire in a house on Traymore Avenue, just east of McMaster University in Westdale.

In a release, Hamilton Fire Department chief Dave Cunliffe said crews were called to a structure fire on Traymore Avenue, between Forsyth and Dalewood avenues, just after 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Cunliffe said firefighters arriving at the scene could see flames at the rear of a second-storey house located at 111 Traymore.

Crews quickly began a search and rescue response as well as work to extinguish the blaze.

Cunliffe said firefighters searching the house were met with heavy fire" as well as a hole in the floor on the second level.

During the search, they located a man inside the house without vital signs.

Cunliffe said the person was placed in the care of paramedics and transported to hospital.

Unfortunately, the person succumbed to their injuries in hospital," said Cunliffe.

The fire was eventually extinguished. Firefighters were on scene for several hours Wednesday night dealing with hot spots.

Cunliffe said the Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified and will be assisting with the investigation.

No other injuries were reported.

Hamilton police Const. Indy Bharaj confirmed the house was one of several vacant properties near McMaster Children's Hospital. In a post on its website, the university said the site is the location of a planned McMaster residence building.

Our sympathies go out to the person who died and to their family," McMaster president David Farrar added. We're grateful for the quick response of Hamilton fire and Hamilton police who responded to the scene."

The university said the homes on Traymore, between Dalewood and Forsyth avenues, have been secured for years as McMaster completed planning for the development. It had started the demolition process earlier this week.

Measures to keep the site secure have been in place since the university purchased the properties," security director Glenn DeCaire said in the post. The buildings have been boarded up, the site fully fenced off, and security regularly patrolled the site.

Despite the precautions, there were still instances where people managed to illegally enter the buildings despite best efforts to safeguard the properties."

Police ask anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact Det. George Gallant at 905-540-5085.

More to come.

Jennifer Moore is an editorial assistant at The Spectator. jmoore@thespec.com

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