Man dead following fire on property near McMaster University in Hamilton

A man in his 20s has died following a fire at a Traymore Avenue property next to McMaster University in Westdale, according to the city's Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

At about 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Hamilton Fire Department arrived at 111 Traymore Ave. to a building covered in heavy smoke. Crews arriving at the scene encountered heavy fire on the second floor where they found the man.

The man was found without vital signs, according to EMS. He was transported by paramedics to hospital where he died.

No one else was injured, the fire department says.

Fire Chief David R. Cunliffe says the fire has been extinguished and crews are at the scene to deal with the hotspots.

"Our sympathies go out to the person who died and to their family," said David Farrar, president of McMaster University.

The properties in the block between Dalewood and Forsyth avenues have all been secured by the university for development of a new residence building, and construction began on Sept 26. 

The university's director of security Glenn De Caire said in a statement that "the buildings have been boarded up, the site fully fenced off, and security regularly patrolled the site. Despite the precautions, there were still instances where people managed to illegally enter the buildings despite best efforts to safeguard the properties." 

The fire department has not yet identified the source of the fire.