Third Degree Burns

On January 30th, 2015, a fire broke out at an abandoned house on Clarkway Drive in Brampton at almost midnight. Peel police and firefighters rushed to the scene and struggled to put out the blaze without being able to use a frozen fire hydrant nearby. When all was said and done, the building had been burned to pieces. The home could not be saved. Residents commented on news articles online, fearing that an arsonist had arisen within the community.

Down the road from the now charred remains sits a white farmhouse, new boarding covering many of the windows. Bumblebee and I pulled over, curious to see the property. After a couple of failed attempts to speak to neighbours, we decided to investigate ourselves. As we walked down the gravel driveway, we noticed telltale scars of flame alongside one of the upper floor windows - a fire had broken out here, possibly a case of arson.

The side door was open, so we ventured inside, taking cautious steps. The smell of the blaze was still prominent. From our observations, we concluded that the fire started on the upper floor and worked its way down. With the exception of the basement, the entire house was affected by the flames. What little remains is charred and covered in soot and ash - the water dish for a pet by the kitchen doorway, the lantern placed on the stove, the jars and containers in the pantry, and the television, now warped and partially melted due to the intense heat of fire. We did not attempt to get up to the second floor due to the severity of the fire in that area and some holes in the ceiling. There is a fresh board on two of the upper floor windows (placed after the fire), so it is likely possible, but we didn't want to risk it.

The only names we were able to find associated with the property were found on a glass giveaway - thanking those who lived here for attending their wedding (googling the names brings up a sad article in the Star about the woman losing both of her legs in a horrific car accident). Needless to say, this still leaves the owners a complete mystery.

The property used to be much larger, multiple outbuildings and countless cars once scattered the area. Construction equipment is now on-site, and only the house remains (even trees have been removed). A quick streetview search shows the farmhouse still thriving (and boardless) in October of 2014, so the fire likely occurred around the same timeframe as the arson nearby. A google search brought up nothing on the fire at this specific property.

Perhaps the residents were valid in their concerns, and an arsonist lays in wait, searching for their next target...