Boards on doors and windows create challenges for fire crews in London, Ont.
London fire crews faced a stubborn blaze in a vacant building on Hamilton Road early Monday afternoon.
Firefighters had to create upper-level vent holes to help exhaust heavy smoke from the structure at 254 Hamilton Rd.
They were called to the location, just east of Adelaide Street, at around 11:30 a.m. Monday.
When they arrived, the whole home was in flames.
Crews poured water on the structure to contain the blaze, which had a church on one side and homes on the other sides.
Hamilton was closed from Dreany Avenue to Inkerman Street while firefighters dealt with the fire.
Officials say the building has been empty for a number of years, but fires at the location have been an ongoing problem.
Neighbours say people are frequently breaking into the structure.
Fire officials say no one was inside when they arrived and there were no reported injuries.
Still, having boards on doors and windows created challenges for crews.
"It's also boarded up so it's difficult access for the crews to get inside and if they are inside, to work safely,” said Platoon Chief Dave Hood.
He says construction of the building was also problematic, "It's probably balloon construction. So we have problems, the fire can travel from the basement to the top floor in no time because there's no fire-stops.”
Fire and police remained on the scene late Monday afternoon. A cause has not been identified.
The Ontario Fire Marshal was on scene Tuesday morning to assist with the investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.