WATCH ABOVE: Emily Baron Cadloff reports on an overnight fire that destroyed three buildings in Saint John.
SAINT JOHN, N.B. – An overnight fire in New Brunswick has destroyed three adjoining buildings in Saint John.
The blaze broke out at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday at three adjoining buildings on Prince Edward Street, which included a business and several apartment units.
“I saw a lot of smoke billowing around the side of the building,” said neighbour Charles Brothers. “I saw flames bursting out of the pawn shop across the street.”
The Canadian Red Cross says volunteers are providing food and shelter to six adults and five children who escaped the fire unhurt.
“I was there 14 years in that apartment and four years in the one underneath it. And everything I own is gone,” said resident June Vautour.
“I saved one cat. I lost the other one.”
Firefighters fought the fire through the night in freezing temperatures.
“You’re dealing with water lines and trying to make sure they don’t freeze up,” said Deputy Chief Joe Armstrong of the Saint John Fire Department.
“With the amount of crews we had here, it was hard to rehab crews through the night. So it was a long cool night.”
To make matters worse, the water that was used to fight the fire flooded the street and created pockets of ice. The water also seeped into a building across the road, causing electric issues.
It’s estimated 300 residents of that building have been without power since 3 a.m.
The City of Saint John says plows and other resources were sent to the area to help with emergency snow removal.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
With files from Emily Baron Cadloff and The Canadian Press
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