An early Monday morning apartment fire in central Hamilton has displaced a number of the building’s residents and sent two men to hospital.
One man is in serious but stable condition and the other man is being treated for smoke inhalation. Both are in their twenties say Hamilton paramedics.
The fire started on the balcony of an upper apartment of a three-storey, 18-unit building at 126 Melrose Ave. South near Main Street. The apartment windows were blown out and the fire moved into the unit.
Hamilton police say a call about the blaze came in around 12:30 a.m. Main Street at Spadina Avenue was closed shortly after to mitigate traffic.
Multiple nearby buildings were evacuated while Hamilton fire crews worked to put out the fire on the balcony and unit. Nearby units suffered water and smoke damage.
An HSR bus was on scene to shelter people from the rain and the Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents, which police say are around twenty tenants.
Residents told CHCH that it was a group effort to help to get people out of the building quickly, along with their pets.
Damages are estimated to be around $750,000.
The fire is not believed to be suspicious, as the cause was improperly discarded smoking materials.