Fire rips through home on Adelaide Street North
London, Ont. firefighters faced challenges on two fronts as they battled a blaze on Adelaide Street North early Friday morning.
The first challenge was the snow and freezing overnight temperatures.
"Stairs, and ladders, and driveways -- they get pretty slippery,” Platoon Chief Dave Hood told CTV News London. “Valves on the truck, they start to freeze and we've got to be very careful of that while we're on scene."
Emergency responders were called to 712 Adelaide St. N. around 3:40 in the morning.
When they arrived, fire crews found flames on all levels of the home.
The other complicating factor they faced was that collected items filled many rooms in the home from floor-to-ceiling.
Hood said that made it unsafe to go inside.
"Trying to make entry was impossible,” he said. “When you take into consideration the weight of all the stuff that is stored in the building, [that’s] load on the structure it isn't designed for. Then you take into account it's currently under demolition by fire and we're putting water on it -- that adds up to a really dangerous situation for anybody who's going to be inside."
First responders had been informed that the home had a lone occupant who had not been accounted for.
Police said they have since reached out to a family member who spoke to that individual and confirmed they are safe.
London police closed Adelaide Pall Mall Street to Piccadilly Street, but it has since been reopened.
The damage estimate established after the fire is about $400,000.
The fire remains under investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.