Get out and stay out.

That's the message from Welland Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Chief Adam Eckhart after a Welland man was injured during a fire Saturday.

Firefighters, career and volunteer, were called to a structure fire on East Main Street just after 3 p.m. A retired firefighter said East Main Street was filled with smoke, making it hard to see anything when he passed by. He was one of many who called 911 to report the fire, just west of Hellems Avenue.

Eckhart said the owner of 135 East Main St. was the only one in the building when the fire broke out and was injured when he re-entered the structure during an attempt to save his two cats.

"He suffered smoke inhalation and heat injuries," Eckhart said.

Niagara Emergency Medical Services paramedics treated the man at the scene and transported him to Welland hospital.

The owner, who lives in the building, was released later in the evening and returned to the fire scene.

Welland District and Humane Society was called to take care of the cats, both of which perished in the stubborn fire.

Eckhart said when there's a fire in a residence or business, people should have an escape plan and stay outside.

He said the building did have working smoke alarms.

"They activated and that's what spurred him to investigate the rest of the building."

When firefighters arrived on scene Saturday, they found a fire in the basement of the building, home to Welland Denture Clinic.

Though firefighters — there were 33 on scene with six vehicles — attacked the basement fire, it had already spread to the rest of the building, sandwiched between the empty Mosaik Tiles and David's Furniture Gallery businesses.

Eckhart said it was a difficult fire to fight as it spread upwards through the building, compromising parts of the structure and stairs to the second floor.

"There were natural voids and spaces in the building, and when you add renovations to that … it adds complications. "Our people did a great job fighting the fire and maintaining it in the building."

Eckhart said firefighters were on scene for seven hours, extinguishing the fire and taking parts of the building apart to get at hot spots in the voids. The two buildings beside the denture clinic were saved by the brick walls between each other.

"Mosaik Tiles was empty, but we went inside to check. There was no water damage but there was some damage from the smoke. David's Furniture had limited smoke damage. It was on the upwind side, so that helped."

Eckhart said the furniture store was ventilated and the owner, who lives upstairs, spent the night elsewhere.

The fire drew a large crowd to the city's downtown. Welland Transit buses were rerouted on Dorothy Street as the transit terminal exit on East Main was blocked by fire equipment.

Niagara Regional Police closed East Main Street between River Road and Cross Street during the fire and watched the building overnight. The road was re-opened after 10 p.m.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

While the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office was called, its investigators did not attend the scene. The office is called in when there is a death or serious injury at a fire or the damage is in excess of $500,000.

There was significant damage throughout the building. Eckhart put the figure at more than $500,000.

"They were content with our findings. The fire is not suspicious but we're still investigating," said Eckhart, adding Welland fire prevention officers were on scene Saturday and Sunday.