Breaking News – Video – Photo Gallery – Early Morning Fire Displace Residents in Brighton
One person was taken to hospital and several residents have been displaced following an early morning structure fire in Brighton on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Fire crews with the Brighton Fire Department were dispatched at approximately 2:04 a.m. to a reported structure fire on Young Street, initially listed as 17 Young Street before being updated to 21 Young Street — just a block from the firehall.
According to Fire Chief Gene Thompson, crews arrived to find heavy smoke venting from the eaves and flames visible from a lower window of the two-and-a-half-storey duplex, which contains four apartment units.
Cramahe Fire Department was quickly called in to assist as firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack in an effort to contain the blaze.
“These older buildings can be challenging,” Thompson said, noting the fire had spread within the walls and eventually reached the roof, making it difficult for crews to access and extinguish the flames.
The incident also marked the first major use of the department’s platform truck, which was deployed to help battle the stubborn fire.
Thompson credited working smoke alarms for alerting tenants and helping prevent more serious injuries.
One individual was transported to hospital (and was released a short time later), and multiple residents have been displaced. Damage is expected to exceed $1 million. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Earlier that morning, at approximately 1:31 a.m., the Trent Hills Fire Department responded to a fully involved structure fire on Second Street in Campbellford.
No further details have been released about that incident.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love