A Kingston family of four will not be celebrating the holiday season at their home this year. They have been left homeless after a fire erupted in their townhouse near John A. Macdonald Boulevard and Norman Rogers Drive Monday afternoon.
The family was residing at Unit 18 and they went knocking at their neighbours’ doors after seeing the fire.
Jeff Redman, who lives two doors down, happened to be home that afternoon and answered his door.
“She came banging on my door, very loud. She was crying I didn’t know what was going on until I actually came outside. Then I saw all the smoke coming out of the back,” Redman said. “At that time, I ran out front and I saw that the kitchen was on fire. There were flames coming out of the front.”
Craig Rundl, acting captain for Kingston Fire Services says there was, “Heavy damage throughout the basement and main floor and heavy smoke damage on the second floor.”
The family and their dog made it out safely. Police said one adult from the family was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
Neighbours also had a rough day out in the cold with their pets and children after they were asked to evacuate for safety reasons.
“It’s just been a really long night, and my dogs I’ve got them in my car. And I’m keeping my car running to keep them warm,” said Mary Foley, who lives two doors away from the unit that caught fire.
Residents living around the fire were offered a city bus to warm up but many of them preferred to take shelter in their neighbours’ homes instead.
A few hours after the fire at unit 18 was under control, signs of smoke were showing up in the unit next door. Fire crews had to break through closet doors at Unit 17 and ask the residents to evacuate the home.
The fire department hasn’t released a damage estimate and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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