Firefighters arrived on the scene after being notified by an alarm company at 3:50 a.m. to find smoke spewing from an eighth-floor apartment at 1180 Forestwood. They quickly climbed the stairs to encounter heavy smoke outside a single apartment in the Forestwood Co-Operative building, just west of Westdale Mall.
Firefighters found the door to the burning apartment was blocked. They quickly pushed their way in, however, and the fire was soon extinguished. The four occupants of the apartment were immediately taken to the lobby for treatment.
One man suffered second and third-degree burns to about 15 per cent of his body, including his head and back, and he was also experiencing respiratory problems. He was transported by ambulance to Trillium Health Centre, then moved almost immediately to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto for additional treatment.
The three other apartment occupants suffered from smoke inhalation and were taken to Trillium for treatment.
After the two-alarm blaze was put out and the victims attended to, the apartment was ventilated. Other residents of the building were allowed to return to their suites a short time later. They had been staying warm in Mississauga Transit buses which were brought to the scene for the purpose.
No estimate of the damage is yet available.
The Ontario Fire Marshal's office may be called in to investigate the blaze. No cause has been determined.
Ten fire trucks, six support units and about 50 firefighters attended the scene.
jstewart@mississauga.net
