Two individuals have lost their lives, and three others have been hospitalized following an early morning fire at a Charlottetown apartment complex. Deputy Fire Chief Kent Mitchell noted that the condition of the hospitalized individuals remains uncertain. The fire department was alerted to the blaze in the two-story building, housing around 20 units, at 7 a.m. AT.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire within an hour of their arrival, with some residents needing to be rescued through windows to escape the burning structure. Roads in the vicinity were shut down for several hours as emergency responders dealt with the incident. Approximately 20 residents have been displaced by the fire, with the Red Cross stepping in to secure hotel accommodations for some of them.
The Red Cross indicated that they are providing emergency shelter, sustenance, and clothing for 11 households affected by the fire. Mitchell emphasized the importance of having functional smoke alarms and evacuation plans in place in case of a fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, underscoring the critical need for fire safety measures.