2 people taken to hospital after house fire in Rexdale

Two people are in hospital after a fire broke out at a house in Rexdale Saturday afternoon.

Toronto Fire said crews responded to reports of a residence fully engulfed in flames on Clearbrooke Circle, west of Islington Avenue, around 2:15 p.m.

Platoon Chief Kevin Shaw said crews were met with heavy fire on the first floor, which quickly moved to the second floor.

Shaw said there were two people in the house at the time of the fire. One of them, a woman, was able to get out while a man became trapped. Firefighters found the man at the rear of the house and extricated him, Shaw said.

The two were both transported to the hospital. According to Toronto paramedics, a man in his 40s is in serious condition. There is no word on the condition of the other victim.

It was initially a two-fire alarm but was later escalated to a four-alarm response.

"(It's) basically a three-alarm fire. Fourth was a precaution, but we haven't used any of the fourth-alarm apparatus. We've actually just cleared them," Shaw said.

He added that the fire spread to another home, but was quickly knocked down.

The cause and origin of the fire are unknown.