Quiet Sunday

Not even an hour into my shift and right around the corner from where I was sitting, a young boy was shot and killed on Weston Rd. 

Then it was off to Markham for a huge house fire. A man was trapped in the basement for over 30 minutes while the rest of the house was a raging inferno. Unbelievably he was on the phone with his family outside at the time. Fire crews, working through a language barrier (Chinese), eventually were able to rescue the man out of the basement. 

Many people in Markham speak very little English. It is the home to many Chinese immigrants. I'm sure this guy will be wanting to learn the basics. At least how to say "I'm trapped inside this burning building."  

Mayday Mayday Mayday - Firefighter Distress Call

When firefighters need help they issue a mayday call over the radio. That's what happened overnight in Toronto, after two firefighters who rescued two residents from a fully involved house fire, had to call for help themselves.

A woman who was trapped inside the fire on Gordon Rd in Toronto called 911 and was able to guide rescuers to her location inside the very large home. She was rescued out a window and down a ladder. Her husband was rescued from the roof at the rear. 

I arrived while firefighters were still trying to find the woman in the smoke filled house. She looked lifeless when they dragged her out and got her on a stretcher, but it appears she will survive.