Provincial fire investigators are still searching for the cause of a ferocious north-end blaze that sent a firefighter plummeting through a burning floor Monday.
The 3 a.m. blaze ate quickly through the 2½-storey brick home at 47 Burlington St. E., nearly injuring an unnamed firefighter as he searched the building for occupants.
"He fell right through the floor, but he's OK," said Platoon Chief Patrick Gallacher, who added the home was "completely gutted."
Gallacher said the house was empty for the weekend and no one was injured.
Power was cut to several nearby homes during the fire. A woman who lives next door was asked to leave her home for a short time, according to her son, Leo Legere.
Legere identified the homeowner as Ronny Taggart, who he said had a recreational trailer about an hour outside of town. "That's a heck of a thing to come back to," he said, looking at the broken windows and charred brick. "There's not much left."
Firefighters battled the stubborn fire for hours and turned over the scene to investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office after 11 a.m.
But investigator Bill Hay said Monday afternoon the dangerous floors were making it difficult to determine a cause. He said the fire likely started in the back of the home and "probably" in the basement.
Police were guarding the scene Monday. The investigation could stretch into Tuesday, Hay said.
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