One More Dead After Horrible Hamilton Blaze
Posted March 1, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Despite dramatic early morning rescue efforts by Hamilton firefighters, five people have died after a tragic blaze in a west-end home.
A mother and three of her daughters have perished. Melissa Denhollander was just 22 years old when she and two of her daughters, Emma Denhollander-Hanigan, 4, and Alana Denhollander-Hanigan, 1, died in the overnight blaze.
Ella Denhollander-Hanigan, only two, died in hospital Saturday night after she was taken off life support.
A second adult was also killed in the fire. His body was not discovered until after the fire was brought under control. The 19-year-old male’s name is being withheld until next of kin are notified.
The woman’s 28-year-old boyfriend, Richard Griffin, remains at the Hamilton General where he’s recovering from burns and smoke inhalation, while a 20-year-old female has since been treated in hospital and released.
Emergency workers arrived at the terrible scene, 129 Broadway Avenue, early Saturday morning to find a single family home completely engulfed in flames.
All seven people were on the ground floor when the fire started. Investigators have confirmed there were no working smoke alarms inthe home.
Broadway Avenue near Royal Avenue
More than 20 firefighters arrived to the gruesome sight. Staff-Sgt. Steve Kovach of Hamilton Police Services said it is particularly upsetting for personnel to deal with fatalities involving children.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, though it’s not believed to be suspicious.
“The O ntario Fire Marshal’s Office along with the H amilton Police and the Office of the Chief Coroner continue their investigation into this tragedy at the scene in an effort to determine the origin, cause and circumstances of this fire,” Pierre Yelle from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office. “At this time, all deaths appear to be in connection with smoke inhalation.”
He noted that two fire fighters were also injured.
The police are involved whenever children under five die.
A visibly shaken eyewitness, Dhaval Sheula, recalls what he saw. “I think it was around two at night and all of a sudden we heard all the fire trucks come in and police cars running in so we just came out of the door and saw the huge blaze, just like flaming – flames coming out of the door and the whole house was on fire.”
Another neighbour, Donna Tatti, recalls watching helplessly as the flames consumed the home.
“You stand there and you say, ‘I can’t do anything about this … and it’s going to get worse,'” she said.
Fire investigators are still working to determine whether smoke alarms in the home were working or whether the home had any at all.
“Predominantly we find that in fatal fires there’s no working smoke alarm,” said Jim Fisher, Ontario Fire Marshal investigator.
The Hamilton tragedy is just the latest in a series of awful fire fatalities in Ontario that have claimed a total of 28 lives in 2008. Officials insist the deaths only underscore the importance of both smoke alarms and an escape plan.
Does your family have an escape plan? Click here to make one.
