A 53-year-old man has died in hospital after jumping out of a window of a burning building in Oshawa on Thursday.
The fire broke out at around 2:15 a.m. inside a rooming house located on Brock Street West, near Centre Street North and Adelaide Avenue West.
At the time of the fire, four male occupants were inside of the home. Two of them were uninjured and one of the men was taken to hospital with minor smoke inhalation.
According to officers, the 53-year-old man was being treated at a Toronto trauma centre for injuries he sustained during the fall from the window and severe burns from being inside the home.
He later succumbed to his injuries.
Oshawa Fire Services acting fire chief Derrick Clark said crews arrived at the scene to find flames and smoke visible from the exterior of the east side of the building.
Clark estimated that between $100,000 and $200,000 worth of damage has been sustained to the building.
On Thursday, Clark would not comment on whether there was a working fire alarm installed in the building.
However, in a news release issued on Friday, the City of Oshawa said this fatality could have been prevented if there had been working smoke alarms inside the home at the time of the fire.
“Oshawa Fire Services in conjunction with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office are conducting a significant investigation and it is expected that charges will be issues,” the statement said.
Oshawa Fire Services and Mayor of Oshawa John Henry are expected to provide an update on Monday.
