Posted Apr 21, 2010, 12:50 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Hamilton, Ontario
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Fire guts home of prominent architect
TheSpec.com Daniel Nolan
The family of well-known architect Dave Premi has lost their home after a late afternoon fire destroyed it in a blaze that produced a thick, black smoke plume that could be seen as far away as the central Mountain.
“It will be a total loss by the time this is done,” said fire safety officer John Verbeek.
Firefighters expected to be at the scene of the Stanley Avenue fire well into the evening after being called to the home just before 4:30 p.m. through numerous 911 calls.
The house, just two homes away from Stanley Avenue Baptist Church at Locke Street South, is occupied by a family of four.
Premi, his wife and their two children escaped injury.
Premi, who runs David Premi Architects Inc., is the working on the remodelling of the Hamilton Public Library and the Farmers Market. He also has projects in Toronto and Niagara.
Premi declined comment when approached by a Spectator reporter. He and his family were observed being comforted by family and neighbours while firefighters worked on extinguishing the fire.
Verbeek said fire crews also reported seeing heavy black smoke en route to the blaze.
“When firefighters arrived on the scene, the entire back of the house, from top to bottom, was engulfed in flames,” he said. “Crews initially tried to gain entry to the home, but could not because there was too much fire in the home.”
About two dozen firefighters were working on extinguishing the blaze, which attracted curious spectators from around the neighbourhood.
Traffic was halted on Stanley Avenue between Locke Street South and Dundurn Street South.
Firefighters were using four pumpers and an aerial truck on the fire. At one point, the smoke was so heavy, spectators could not see down Stanley Avenue.
Neighbours reported being stunned when they saw the Gothic Cottage home on fire. Gothic Cottage was a style of home popular throughout Ontario in the 19th Century.
Smoke and flames continued to billow from the house for more than an hour. A front portion of the home collapsed just before 7 p.m.
“I just looked over and the house was on fire,” said John, 48, who lives across the street and declined to give his last name. “I was alarmed. I made sure my kids were not around there.”
Neighbour Conan Kublik, 38, said the home was engulfed in flames and smoke within a couple of minutes.
“My daughter yelled and I just looked out and saw smoke and yelled for my wife to call 911,” he said. “I ran out to make sure everyone was out. I just wanted to make sure they were out. That’s all that was going through my head.”
He said the woman who lived in the house was in the middle of the street. “She was just in shock,” Kublik added.
Another neighbour who lives across the street, Ruben, 29, arrived home to see firefighters pouring water on the home and watch heavy black smoke billow from it.
“I almost had a heart attack when I saw all the flames and smoke,” he said. “It’s devastating.”
Verbeek said the cause of the blaze has not been determined.
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looking forward to experiencing the "new" market! Wonder if the city will do some something special to give some context to the historical relevance of the Birks clock.
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