Five-Year-Old Boy Dies In Oakville House Fire

Family and friends of a local family are trying to come to grips with a nightmarish tragedy that has claimed the life of a five-year-old boy, and badly injured his mother, just two days before Christmas.

Flames broke out at about 1am Tuesday at a townhouse on White Oaks Blvd., near Trafalgar Rd. and the Queen Elizabeth Way.

The complex is just steps away from a police station and two Halton Regional Police officers were first on the scene following the 911 call. When they arrived they found the mother, who’d been seriously burned in the blaze, screaming that her child was still inside. They made a valiant attempt to rescue the youngster, identified as Bentley Slaughter (top left), from the burning residence, but thick, choking smoke prevented them from getting very far.

Firefighters arrived shortly thereafter and were able to reach the child on the second floor of the home. Sadly, it was too late to save his life.

“They had to go in and start a proper search process,” explains Oakville Fire Chief Richard Boyes. “They made entry onto the second floor. The young child was located and given to other crews making entry by ladder to the second-storey window.”

The youngster was pronounced dead on arrival in hospital. Bentley’s 38-year-old mother suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation and is listed in serious condition – she was to be transferred to a burn unit in Hamilton. The two police officers who tried to rescue the child had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Malu Hahn, a close friend of the family, tearfully related that her son used to walk to school with Bentley.

“Same school, they go together every morning,” she sobbed, adding that she had bought the boy a Christmas present the night before his death.  “I can’t believe this. He was here with us every single day.”

“We’re devastated. I can’t put my thoughts together…”

Jessica Heath can’t bring herself to tell her son, who was close friends with the boy, that he died in a fire. 

“I can’t tell my son,” she admitted.  “This is his best friend in the whole wide world.”

So far the cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined but the Fire Marshal will be looking into it. Firefighters said it started in the mattress in the mother’s room. Smoke alarms in the residence were working and could be heard going off as crews knocked down the flames but officials have said t he outcome may have been different if the house was equipped with a residential fire sprinkler system.

A neighbour, Deanne Byrne said she knew Bentley to be a “happy” kid.

“It was just the two of them. He was so happy. He was just a happy little boy,” Byrne noted. “Wow, that’s hard to take.”

And area resident Katherine described the events as “heartbreaking.”

“Beautiful little boy,” she added.

Bottom photo provided by Carl Hanstke of 680News

The cause of the Oakville house fire hasn’t yet been determined, but it comes as Toronto Fire release their list of ways to prevent a blaze from sparking in your home. Here are their suggestions:

Insulation – adding insulation to your home helps save both energy and money, but can also lead to a fire if it is placed too close to light fixtures and other sources of heat. Have your home electrical system checked in advance by a certified electrician before installing your insulation.

Heating Appliances – have your furnace checked annually by a licensed technician. Chimneys should also be cleaned each year to prevent a build up of creosote and carbon monoxide. Install carbon monoxide alarms to notify you of the possible presence of this deadly gas.

Cooking – as the holiday season approaches, take extra care in the kitchen. Keep all combustibles away from hot burners. Cook with your sleeves rolled up, and make sure you stay put while cooking. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fire deaths in the home.

Candles – use with care. Keep one foot from all things that can burn. Purchase quality candles and make sure to use non-flammable bases that are wide enough to catch dripping wax. Blow them out when you leave the room, and never leave unattended candles with children or pets.

Alcohol – watch your alcohol consumption, especially while cooking or smoking. Drinking alcohol can delay your ability to react appropriately in a fire, and may slow your escape.

Space Heaters – keep them one metre from all things that can burn. Never dry clothes on a space heater.

Christmas Trees – don’t stay fresh indoors for long without ample water. Make sure that your light strings are safe for use and are not frayed. Turn all your lights off when you go to bed or when you leave the house. Never use lit candles on Christmas trees.

Smoke Alarms & Home Escape Plans – will keep you safe at all times of the year. Install a working smoke alarm on every storey of your home, and near all bedroom areas. Test them monthly, and replace before they are 10 years old. Plan an escape with your family, and then practice it. Know two ways out of every room in your home. Parents should hold on tightly to your children to prevent them from returning indoors. Choose a meeting spot outdoors where your family will meet after they escape.

Does your family have a fire escape plan? Find out how to download your pre-blaze planning kit here. (PDF file)

Carbon Monoxide – is a highly toxic, invisible, tasteless and odourless gas produced by incomplete combustion. It is produced by fuel burning appliances like a gas furnace or a wood burning fire place, when there is insufficient oxygen. To protect your family, install a carbon monoxide alarm near the sleeping area of your home. Plan and practice an escape.

Educate Your Children – teach your children what they should do to prevent fires, and how to react appropriately to them. Visit the Toronto Fire website for more information on fire safety at www.toronto.ca/fire/prevention

Can you pass the fire safety quiz?