Brampton house fire damages 3 homes, forces evacuation
Neighbours report that they saw fireworks being set off before the fire
Peel Regional Police and Brampton Fire investigators are trying to determine if a huge house fire was sparked by fireworks.
The flames spread to two adjacent homes, forced the evacuation of nearby houses and caused at least $1 million in damage Wednesday night.
Brampton Fire was called to the scene on Binder Twine Trail, near Williams Parkway and Chinguacousy Road, just before 11 p.m.
The house was fully-engulfed in the flames when they arrived, and was spreading to homes next door. A family of eight was inside, but they all managed to escape.
Peel Police evacuated many nearby houses, and say that everyone was accounted for.
Cst Connell assisted with evacuation of nearby residents. <a href="https://twitter.com/BramptonFireES">@BramptonFireES</a> <a href="https://t.co/xOTsnzScEE">pic.twitter.com/xOTsnzScEE</a>
—@PeelPoliceMediaNo one was injured in the fire, but three homes suffered severe damage. Two of the homes are now unliveable.
Police say the damage to the initial home is estimated to be at least $1 million dollars, and that the home is a "total write-off."
Fireworks
Hours earlier, area residents were celebrating the holiday of Diwali with fireworks in their driveway.
Neighbour Kevin Haghighat filmed the fireworks on his cellphone. In the video, he can be heard confronting the family.
"Are you guys aware that this is against the law to do this in your driveway? You have to go to a designated place to do this."
A short while later, the house was in flames.
Neighbour Anita Szucsko said she and her husband saw the fire and started banging on doors to wake up the sleeping families inside.
Anita Szucsko says she/her husband banged on neighbours' doors to make sure everyone escaped <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brampton?src=hash">#Brampton</a> house fire <a href="https://t.co/0GlSvlmbbG">pic.twitter.com/0GlSvlmbbG</a>
—@CBCLorendaBrampton Fire confirms that there were no permits for fireworks on Binder Twine Trail last night.
"I know that fireworks were seen being lit off adjacent to that residence, the victim residence," said Const. George Tudos of Peel police, who was at the scene last night.
Brampton Fire says its investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the flames, but will look into the possibility that it was caused by the fireworks.
The investigation will take a few days. Investigators say they will have to dismantle the whole house to determine the cause.
With files from Lorenda Reddekopp