Two charged with fire code violations in deadly Hamilton Mountain blaze
Dec 19, 2023
The Hamilton Spectator
By Nicole O’Reilly, Reporter
Two people have been charged with fire code violations in relation to a Hamilton Mountain townhouse fire that killed two adults and two children nearly a year ago.
In a media release, Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe said two “tenants,” who were not named, have been charged with failing to notify the landlord that a smoke alarm was disconnected or not working, and with disabling a smoke alarm.
Lambeau McIsaac, 8, Khaleesi McIsaac, 7, and their mother, Kassie Chrysler, 40, along with William (Bill) Davies died in the Dec. 29, 2022 fire at 14 Derby St., Unit 4.
Davies lived at the home with the children’s father. The children and their mother were visiting.
Six people were in the house when the fire started on a couch on the main floor. All six were upstairs. The children’s father, Trevor McIsaac, told the Spectator he screamed for his kids and tried to get to them through flames but could not reach them. He and a friend, who was staying with him and was in his room at the time, escaped on the roof over the garage.
The four killed were among eight people who died in fires in Hamilton in 2022.
Under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, a person convicted of a fire code offence can be fined up to $50,000 for a first offence or imprisoned for up to a year.
The Hamilton Fire Department declined further comment because the case is before the courts.