Three people were sent to hospital for smoke inhalation after a fire at a Moncton apartment building early Monday.
Fire crews were called to the 21-unit building on Norman Street just before 4 a.m.
“On arrival, our firefighters encountered a structure fire and currently Moncton fire investigators are on scene trying to determine the origin and cause of this fire,” said Division Chief Charles LeBlanc with the Moncton Fire Department.
“There’s extensive damage to one side of the building — extensive smoke damage as well as water damage from the suppression efforts.”
According to LeBlanc, 30 people are currently displaced by the fire.
“We’re hoping that the building will be back up. About half the building should be able to be occupied by within the next 48 to 72 hours. However, there will still be 15 to 20 people that will be displaced for an extended period of time,” he said.
The Canadian Red Cross is assisting the residents. A Codiac Transpo bus was used to transport the residents to a nearby hotel for the time being.
The Red Cross says their volunteers have arranged temporary lodging and meals for 25 adults and four children. They also helped nine tenants with emergency purchases of clothing.
They note two tenants have made their own arrangements for places to stay, and one apartment was vacant at the time of the fire.
— With a file from Callum Smith
Comments