On the coldest morning of the season, with water freezing on the pavement as it fell from hydrants and hoses, the entire population of a burning 12-storey apartment building had to flee into the
subzero air.
It was 6:34 a.m. when the alarm sounded at the Victoria Tower apartment complex. Many of the residents were still in bed. They had to escape, with smoke stinging their sinuses, out into the dark morning, several dressed only in pajamas.
"There were many people out on balconies when we arrived," said Prince George Fire Rescue Service chief John Lane. "We rescued five people down our ladders off their balconies, and we evacuated about 50 other people outside via the stairwell."
Mounties also helped in the orderly evacuation of the building and blocked traffic on the surrounding streets. The apartment complex was located at 1245 20th Avenue. The road was closed at Norwood Street to the west and Cuddie Crescent to the east. Approximately 20 people were treated for smoke inhalation by BC Ambulance Service Paramedics at a number of ambulances stationed in front of the building. About a dozen people were taken to hospital for further treatment, including a firefighter for precautionary observation. Lane said no burn injuries were reported, and none of the victims appeared to be injured seriously.
"Many of the residents here are elderly, many had mobility difficulties, that made the evacuation more of a concern."
The evacuation was a challenge for several people," said Lane. "Getting them back inside is now a big issue because of medications and home medical equipment several of the residents have to use."
Lane said it was a full-scale firefighting effort to contain the blaze.
It was contained to a single fifth-floor apartment other than "some lapping of fire" up to the balcony directly above on the sixth floor.
"With a fire like this we would typically send two engines, a ladder truck and a rescue truck," he explained. "We initially sent three engines to this one because our ladder crew was out on another call and they were able to join in as well after that."
Lane applauded the quick and careful work of firefighters for extinguishing the fire and handling the challenging evacuation. He also praised the abundance of help from ambulance paramedics and RCMP.
In addition, a city bus was also deployed to the apartment building to act as a temporary shelter and move the displaced residents down the street three blocks to Gateway Lodge which, above and beyond the call of civic duty according to Lane, opened its doors to the
victims.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of press time.
Lane was unsure if the apartment in question was inhabited or one of the ones in the complex under construction. He said it seemed to hold no resemblance to any of the suspicious fires in the city over the past few months but the investigation was in its early stages.
This is the second time in the past two years that Victoria Tower residence has been evacuated due to fire.
The previous incident was Dec. 18, 2009 when a fire localized to the sixth floor forced emergency systems to kick in for the building's residents.
The tower is owned by Pacific West Properties.
