UPDATED: Regina fire crews battle two separate apartment fires, all residents safe

REGINA – A south Regina apartment complex is a total loss while three units of another building have been destroyed in two separate fires Friday.

The first fire was reported just before noon, at a three-story apartment building on Parliament Avenue near Robinson Street.

Fire chief Ernie Polsom said it began in the kitchen of a suite on the top floor. Everyone made it out of the building safely, but two residents were trapped in a third-floor bedroom and had to be rescued by firefighters.

“The smoke was (strong enough) in the corridors that it wasn’t a viable exit, so we laddered them out of the building from the exterior,” Polsom said.

Battling the fire became a defensive operation when crews decided the building was too dangerous for firefighters to enter.

Shortly after, a second apartment fire was reported on Cambridge Avenue in east Regina. Three units were destroyed in the 36 unit complex.

Polsom said the Cambridge fire also began in a third-floor kitchen.

The two fires stretched Regina Fire & Protective Services to the limits Friday, resulting in off-shift firefighters being called in to ensure other incidents could be responded to.

One firefighter was sent to hospital for precautionary reasons after falling on a set of stairs, Polsom said.

Cold weather also took a toll on firefighters and equipment. A ladder truck broke and it’s suspected a fire hydrant was damaged as a result of frigid temperatures, Polsom said.

The Canadian Red Cross is providing food, clothing and accommodation to displaced residents for 72 hours.

Anyone affected by the fires and in need of assistance can call 1-888-800-6493. People looking for information about friends or family who may be displaced by the fires can call 1-888-953-3463.