CORNWALL, Ontario – One of the individuals pulled from a fire in Cornwall this week has died in an Ottawa hospital.
Cornwall fire chief Richard McCullough confirmed the man, 59, died and that a post-mortem is being conducted.
A man and a woman had to be airlifted to an Ottawa hospital with severe injuries, due to smoke inhalation, following the fire Wednesday evening on Lefebvre Avenue in Cornwall.
Cornwall police have secured the home.
“It is unclear if it is a police matter at this time and police are holding the scene pending further investigation,” the Cornwall service said in a release.
McCullough could not comment on the status of the female still battling for her life in hospital.
“They were found on the floor when (firefighters) went in,” he said Thursday.
McCullough said one of the individuals had tried to take shelter under the kitchen table, while the other was found lying on the living room floor.
The chief said the entire dwelling was covered in a thick, noxious smoke.
“When they went in it was dark…filled with smoke,” he said.
The cause of the main level blaze, which was quickly extinguished by firefighters, is being investigated. McCullough said the investigation is complete, but results are not yet known.
Ten firefighters put the blaze out.
