Fatal house fire in London
Friends and family have identified the victim of a fatal fire on Sunday evening as 83-year-old Merle Ellis.
Emergency responders were called to 283 Tremont Rd. near Clarke Road and Trafalgar Street around 8:10 p.m.
Fire crews were alerted that someone may be inside the building and Ellis was pulled from the home shortly after.
Crews immediately focused on trying to resuscitate Ellis but were unsuccessful.
Neighbour Shirley Antonioli lived across the street from Ellis for more than 40 years, with the two families having moved into their homes within a year of each other.
"She was a beautiful lady, great neighbour and very kind," said Antonioli.
She cared for Ellis' cat after it was rescued by fire crews.
London fire crews attended a blaze at 238 Tremont Rd. on Jan. 29 for working fire. (Source: London fire)
Ellis' son Todd arrived on the scene around 10 a.m. to retrieve the cat and to try to get what information was available from officials.
He told CTV News London his mother's health had been failing, including losing her eyesight.
He said she was scheduled to move into a long-term care facility on Wednesday.
Antonioli said prior to Sunday's tragedy, Ellis had numerous people drop by every day to check on her.
"She had her children and her grandchildren. She had friends of hers and I think a sister came to see her all the time as well," Antonioli told CTV News.
Numerous people visited the house on Monday morning, including one of her grandchildren.
A personal service worker arrived not knowing that Ellis passed away.
An Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office (OFM) investigator arrived at the scene around 11 a.m. and is being assisted by members of the London Fire Investigation Unit and London police as they work to determine a cause for the blaze.
"Our mandate is to be dispatched to all fatal fires and all serious injury fires,” said OFM investigator Jessica Reynolds. Reynolds said the investigation is in the early stages but, based on a preliminary assessment, the fire doesn't appear to be criminal in nature.
A fatal house fire on Tremont Road in London is being investigated. Jan. 30, 2023. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)
"At this time, no. But, then again, I'm going to be basing all of my conclusions on evidence and not conjecture,” she said.
She also can’t say at this time if smoke alarms in the house went off, and told CTV News London, “As of right now we have found a couple of smoke alarms in the house. Whether or not they’ve activated is still under investigation right now.”
Reynolds said the on-site investigation may extend into Tuesday. A probable cause may be available at that point, or it may require more time.
London fire officials said this was the first fatal fire in the city since 2021. The fire in 2021 was the only one of that year.
A post-mortem is being conducted under the direction of the Office of the Chief Coroner.
Antoniolo expressed gratitude to first responders who worked to resuscitate Ellis at the scene.
"When the funeral home came to pick her up there were firemen standing there at attention. It was just heartbreaking," she said.
A cause of the fire and an exact cause of death has yet to be determined.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.