Three people have been confirmed dead after firefighters were called to a house fire on Elgin Street in Wallaceburg early Thursday morning.
Fire officials said crews from Station 3 in Wallaceburg were called to the scene at 2:10 a.m. and arrived at the scene within minutes. Additional firefighters from Station 2 in Chatham also responded to the fire along with volunteer firefighters in Wallaceburg.
Crews were able to rescue two people from the home, a male and a female, but they were both later confirmed deceased. Chatham-Kent fire chief Chris Case said the male was pronounced dead at the scene while the female was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead there.
On Thursday afternoon, officials confirmed that a third body had been recovered from the structure's basement.
Case said that one of the patients was removed from the upper floor of the building while the other was on the ground floor when firefighters arrived, noting that the building is divided into several separate residences. He also said that CK police are currently investigating and working to determine who was in the building at the time of the fire.
Officials say the CK Fire Prevention Team and the Office of the Fire Marshal are both at the scene investigating and there is no word on a cause at this point.
Staff and volunteers from Chatham-Kent Victim Services will also be on site at the James Street Mission at 719 James Street in Wallaceburg from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to support anyone affected by the fire overnight. They will be providing emotional support and practical assistance. Anyone who cannot make it there today can also call CK Victim Services at 519-436-6630.
