Crews respond to house fire in Waterloo

Neighbours describe a “wall of fire” as a house in Waterloo went up in flames. CTV’s Jeff Pickel reports.

Flames tore through a home in Waterloo early Monday morning.

“I got up and saw the flashing light, and I saw the orange from the fire,” recalled Sid van den Heede, who lives across the street. “You could feel the heat over here... inside.”

He watched emergency responders fight the fierce flames and thick smoke at the Seawind Trail property and worried the fire might spread.

“I heard some noises and I didn’t know where they were coming from in the house,” said neighbour Anne Haller. “All of the sudden I noticed there were cracks on my window in my living room. I looked out and all I saw was a wall of fire next door.”

Her first thought was for the wellbeing of her neighbour.

“I first thing I looked at, before I called 911, was to [look at] their driveway because they always have vehicles parked in the driveway.”

The Waterloo Regional Police Service said they received a call about the fire around 6:45 a.m.

No one was at home at the time and no injuries have been reported.

“100 per cent - I though my house was going, the way the flames were,” Haller told CTV News. “So huge. They were right up to the roof. And the whole side of the house was aflame.”

Aside from a few broken windows and melted siding, she was relieved the fire didn’t spread further.

It was a concern that was also top of mind for firefighters as they tried to douse the flames.

“There is a lot of potential there for exposure to the adjacent structures,” Deputy Fire Chief Jake Herring said.

Haller praised the efforts of firefighters.

“An incredible team,” she said. “We’re very blessed that we have fire departments that are pretty close to the neighbourhood.”

Officials said they have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire.

The Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate.