Doorbell camera captures Oshawa house fire that left man dead

A house in Oshawa is seen on fire on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Supplied)

A doorbell camera captured the moment a fire broke out inside a home in Oshawa that left a 76-year-old man dead Monday night.

The fire broke out at a home near Centre and Gibb streets shortly before 8 p.m. In the video obtained by CTV News Toronto, a small flame is seen in one of the ground floor windows and smoke slowly creeping out.

The flames and thick black smoke grow bigger as the fire spreads. Within minutes, the front of the house is fully engulfed, with flames shooting out of the windows and the door.

Shattering glass is heard as someone frantically calls out for the homeowner repeatedly. Other neighbours are also heard yelling his name, and calling 911 and telling the operator that one person is still inside the home.

Shortly after, a firetruck arrives.

Const. Nick Gluckstein told CP24 that the house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters first arrived on scene.

“They attempted to enter the residence through the front of the house. Unfortunately they were unable to due to multiple obstructions,” he said at the scene on Tuesday.

“They were able to enter through the second storey where they subsequently located a male who was without vital signs.”

The man was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition, but police confirmed Tuesday that he later died.

The victim has been identified by neighbours and family as 76-year-old Bruce Scarlett. He was the operator of Scarlett Tree Service in Oshawa.

‘I was screaming his name’: Neighbour recounts fire

Neighbours told CP24 that the man had lived in the home for decades.

Terence Porter, who described himself as a friend of the victim, said he heard an explosion shortly before 8 p.m. and noticed the flames coming from the home across the street.

“I ran to the front of my house and I saw my neighbour calling 911. I automatically… ran right across the street,” he told CP24.

He said the fire was quickly spreading and there was little anyone could do to help.

“I was screaming his name, just trying to get his attention,” Porter said.

He described the victim as a “fantastic” neighbour.

“If you needed anything, Bruce was there for you,” Porter said.

Anna Leavitt, another neighbour, called the victim a “great neighbour” and the “hardest working man” she’s ever met.

The circumstances surrounding the fire will be investigated by the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM).

“When it was safe to enter the home and kind of explore and see what exactly transpired, they did determine that there was nothing suspicious,” Gluckstein said.

“There was no foul play suspected.”

He noted that police believe Scarlett was the only person in the home on Sunday night.

“Anybody who was in the area, anybody who may have surveillance video, any dashcam, cellphone footage, we implore them to come and speak with out investigators just so we have a better understanding of exactly what transpired,” Gluckstein said.

With files from CP24’s Beatrice Vaisman and CTV Toronto’s John Musselman