Fire rips through home on Adelaide Street North

Crews responded to a fire at a home at 712 Adelaide St. N. in London, Ont., on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

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.