One man is in critical condition after fire broke out at a house on a narrow connector street in centre city St. John’s.

Firefighters were called out at about 5 a.m. and had to combat howling winds at 22 Blatch Avenue near Merrymeeting Road and Freshwater Road. The 5-unit bedsitting house was fully involved when firefighters arrived as tenants, all men, fled. One man was trapped in the home but firefighters got him out, he is in hospital in critical condition. A second man was also taken to hospital.

The fire started in a back room upstairs where a man in his 60’s was living. He was not one of the tenants taken to hospital.

Moms and babes from a couple of nearby homes were evacuated but they have since been allowed to return.

Platoon Chief Captain Ken Dinn says the high winds compounded everything with hot embers being blown about the street but his crew were able to get things under control quickly.