Firefighter and resident hospitalized, pet dies after Tuesday morning fire at Mountain home

A resident and a firefighter were hospitalized on Tuesday morning after a fire at a Mountain home.

Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe said firefighters responded to reports of a fire at a home on Royal Vista Drive, in the Templemead neighbourhood around 11:18 a.m.

Cunliffe said first responders reported heavy smoke at the back of the home and said someone was trapped on the roof of a garage after trying to escape out a second floor window.

Firefighters got the person off the garage.

Dave Thompson, a superintendent with Hamilton Paramedic Services, told CBC Hamilton the woman in her 30s was taken to a local trauma centre in stable condition and was taken there for smoke inhalation and minor burns.

Cunliffe said the fire was "well involved" on all levels of the home at this point.

"As firefighters initiated aggressive interior fire attacks on all levels, the fire broke through the roof," Cunliffe said, adding aerial units were also trying to quell the fire.

Firefighters prevented neighbouring homes from damage as they tried to calm the flames, according to Cunliffe.

"The fire was brought under control in approximately 40 minutes, but not before it caused significant damage to all levels of the house, back deck and fences," Cunliffe said.

He also said Templemead Elementary School was forced to shut down air handling systems and hold children in place because of all the smoke from the fire. That order was lifted at 12:30, after the fire was contained.

Cunliffe said a firefighter was also hospitalized for heat exhaustion and a pet in the home died.

Thompson said the firefighter is a man in his 50s.

Cunliffe also said the Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating the incident.

"The estimated dollar loss is estimated to be well in excess of $500,000," he said.