More than 30 people spent the night in a local hotel after a fire Thursday morning in a Prince George apartment block forced them out of their homes.
It was expected most, but not all, were to be able to return to the three-storey complex at Westridge Place in the 4500-block of Azure Avenue, off Foothills Blvd., by Friday night.
The tenants were mostly students and young couples without children, said Brad Beckett, the city's manager of community partnerships.
The cost of their food, lodging and incidentals will be covered through the city's evacuation support program.
Prince George Fire Rescue was call to the scene shortly before 10:30 a.m. The cause of the fire, which left about $100,000 worth of damage, was deemed accidental.
"A contractor had been doing some maintenance work in one of the suites when some sparks got up into the interior wall area and started a small fire," PGFR assistant chief Thad Kennedy said.
Beckett said the fire centred on one suite second-floor and its occupant will be out for a longer term and is getting support from the Red Cross. The city's program is good for 72 hours.
