A 71-year-old man is dead following a fire at an apartment building for seniors in Brampton this morning.

It happened at a four-storey building on McHardy Place, near Main Street and Queen Street West, shortly after 6 a.m.

Brampton Fire Platoon Chief Paul Bebbington told CP24 at the scene that the fire broke out inside a unit on the fourth floor of the building.

“It was confined to the bedroom of the unit. One patient was located and removed from the building,” he said, adding that the person was rushed to hospital without vital signs and was later pronounced dead.

Police have not yet released the name of the victim.

"He was saying, ‘Help, help,’ and the smoke was too much in there and I got his hands but he wouldn't come with me. He (was) trying to hold my hands," said the victim’s neighbour Victoria Hosannah. She said her alarm went off at 6 a.m. and she saw smoke coming from her friend’s unit, but she was unable to help the 71-year-old.

 

“So I came out of there, caught my breath, and then I helped the lady that's across from me there because she (uses an) oxygen (tank) and everything, so I was scared for her because I didn't know the extent of the fire," Hosannah said.

 

Another resident, Susan Cain, said she saw smoke on her way out.

 

"When I got out into the hall I saw all the smoke and the door was shut and whole commotion up in the lobby,” she said.

One other resident of the building sustained injuries during the evacuation and was taken to hospital for treatment.

“Apparently it was a slip and fall injury,” Bebbington said. “A firefighter was also transported to hospital with minor injuries to his hand.”

Peel Paramedics told CP24 that a number of other people were assessed on-scene.

The entire building was evacuated this morning but some residents have been permitted to return to their units.

“The fourth floor remains evacuated. The people that live on the fourth floor are over at the community centre at the curling club right now just staying warm,” Bebbington said.

Staff members from the City of Brampton’s emergency management office are on scene assisting displaced residents and transit buses are also on the way.

Bebbington said it could be “quite a while” before residents of the fourth floor will be allowed to return home.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined but the Office of the Fire Marshal will be investigating.

At this point officials say it's not clear why the victim could not get out of the unit on his own.