Eleven people are in hospital and four are in critical condition after a fire at an apartment building in Bradford, Monday afternoon.
Emergency crews responded to the scene of 114 Holland St. W., just before 2 p.m. after a fire erupted on the fifth floor of the eight-storey, 84-unit apartment complex.
Flames were coming out from the fifth floor and residents were trapped on their balconies. Fire apparatuses were used to rescue 11 people who were sent to hospital.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those involved," Bradford Fire Chief Jim Kay said during an update with the media Monday evening.
Fire crews from Bradford, Innisfil and King Township were on scene wrapping up extinguishing the fire and going floor by floor to have inhabitants shelter in place.
"We have removed those folks systematically," said Kay, noting fire crews have had to test the air quality of the floor to ensure it was safe for them to leave their units.
All residents have been transported to the Danube Senior Centre on Simcoe Road where Red Cross and social services are assisting with registration.
There are still a number of pets in the building being removed from the building to be reunited with their owners.
"We are going to be here well into the night," said Kay.
Holland Street was closed from Simcoe Road to Professor Day Drive, but will be reopened shortly.
The building sustained structural damage on the fifth and sixth floors, and will require a structural engineer to inspect it before residents can return.
"The building will definitely not house any residents this evening," Kay said.
The province's Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) has been called into assist Bradford fire officials with finding out the origins and cause of the blaze.
Kay said it is unknown how long residents will be displaced until the structural engineer has surveyed the damage.
"It could be long term for folks on the fifth and sixth floor, but hopefully not for the entire building," he said.
Fire crews have been into every apartment and will be going through them all again before leaving the scene this evening.
"Chances are we will be here over night to make sure nothing flares up," said Kay.
OFM investigators will be at the scene tomorrow to begin their probe.
