As 'bright as the sun': Students describe house fire near Fanshawe College
As many as six students are displaced after a fire heavily damaged a home near Fanshawe College.
The blaze broke out in a back split at the end of the Prosperity Court.
Gillian Gilmore and Victoria Ashley live nearby and were alerted by approaching fire trucks.
“I could hear the sirens, and I thought that’s really close,” explained Gilmore. “So I looked out front and said, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I ran out front and saw the big flames in the air. It seems like it was the sun! That’s how bright the flames were!”
“It just felt like a heavy blanket almost coming over the street,” shared Ashley.
More than 25 firefighters and a half dozen engines arrived moments later.
Several tenants were outside to meet them. All were unharmed, according to Platoon Chief Kirk Loveland.
London fire crews responded to a call on Prosperity Court around 10 p.m. on April 15, 2024. (Source: London fire)Still, he told CTV News London, firefighters entered the home to ensure no one else was inside.
“Fortunately, they had working smoke alarms and they all escaped.”
Loveland said the residence is heavily damaged and estimated the loss between $400,000 to $500,000.
The blaze started on the east side of the home.
“We determined that the fire started on the exterior. It had combustible siding on the side, which accelerated the fire spread,” said Loveland.
The initial speed of the flames and smoke was a growing concern for nearby residents, including Fanshawe student Kolapo Bankole.
“There was just a lot of commotion, and we were concerned it was going to head towards the next building, but thankfully that didn’t happen.”
The fire is not considered suspicious.
The displaced students are receiving support from the Red Cross and other agencies.
London fire crews responded to a call on Prosperity Court in London on April 15, 2024. (Source: London fire)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
'Oh, there you go': Tyler Black, son of veteran broadcaster Rod Black, has memorable Major League Baseball debut
Canadian baseball player Tyler Black made a major splash in his first-ever big league game for the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Facial reconstruction reveals what a 40-something Neanderthal woman may have looked like
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.
Weight-loss drug Wegovy available in Canada starting May 6
The makers of Ozempic say their weight-loss drug Wegovy will be available to patients in Canada starting Monday.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Ontario man loses $1,500 applying for Nexus cards on social media
The trusted traveller program between Canada and the United States is extremely popular and almost two million Canadians have a Nexus card.
Companies letting customers opt out of Mother's Day ads
In an effort to balance the profitability of Mother's Day with the pain it causes some people, some brands are offering customers the choice to opt out of Mother's Day email advertising.