Fire Destroys Port Alberni Apartment Building

PORT ALBERNI - An out of control fire has destroyed a Port Alberni apartment building leaving dozens of people homeless but feeling lucky to be alive.

It broke out at about five this morning and spread so fast that some people could not escape.

Firefighters had to rescue them from the roof of the building as flames and smoke poured from the windows.

The fire started around 5:30 this morning starting in a stairwell - the flames breaching a wall and into the first unit. In an older building, it didn't take long for the fire to spread.

The fire alarm woke most tenants - but most needed convincing that this was not a false alarm.

Bob Frechette decided to go back in his apartment and get his cat. But by the time he came back into the hallway, his escape route was blocked by smoke.

Frechette and two others had to be rescued from balconies and the roof.

Extreme heat forced firefighters to leave the interior of the building after determining no one else was inside.

The salvation army is registering all displaced tenants for emergency social services relief.

A longer term relief effort is also being coordinated by city officials and government ministries.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Follow Jonathan Bartlett on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ANewsJonathan

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• /A\ News Vancouver Island
• Port Alberni
• Apartment
• Building
• Complex
• Fire
• Homeless
• Destroy
• Tenants
• Emergency
• Relief
• Jonathan Bartlett