Boy, 5, critically injured and 12 others treated in hospital after Hamilton house fire

A five-year-old boy remains in critical but stable condition in hospital following a fire at a home in Hamilton on Friday.

Fire crews were called to a two-storey home on Garden Crescent on Hamilton’s central mountain around 6:15 p.m. after reports of heavy smoke in the area.

Hamilton fire chief Dave Cunliffe says they were informed by residents who had fled the house that there was possibly one child still inside.

Cunliffe says firefighters performed life-saving measures on the child before he was assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital.

Ten other children were also taken to the hospital, along with two adults. All were treated for smoke inhalation and released.

Tonight @HPS_Paramedics crews responded with @HamiltonFireDep & @HamiltonPolice to challenging call with multiple patients. A total of 13 people were rescued & transported to hospital through teamwork. Great work to all involved. Our thoughts remain with the family tonight.

— Hamilton Paramedics (@HPS_Paramedics) November 19, 2022

Clive Hubbard with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office says they’ll be looking to determine the origin and cause of the blaze and if there were working smoke alarms at the time of the fire.

“That will certainly be part of the investigation to determine if there were adequate smoke alarms and if they were operating at the time of the fire,” Hubbard told CityNews. “One of the other things we’ll be looking for is, did the family have an escape plan.”

Damage to the home has been pegged at upwards of $500,000.