At least 18 people have been displaced after a fire extensively damaged a three-storey rooming house in Moncton on Tuesday.
The blaze at the rooming house, located at 44-50 St. George St., was reported shortly before 9 p.m., as a garage fire.
While firefighter were en route, they were told the rooming house was also engulfed.
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Dennis Dollemont, a platoon chief with the Moncton Fire Department, said that the 150-year-old building will likely have to be destroyed.
“I don’t know that it’s going to be repaired, it’s extensively damaged,” said Dollemont.
“The age and the construction of the building made it difficult for the firefighters to extinguish.”
“We heard a lot of commotion and people came to our house and said there was a big fire and I came out and I seen the big fire and yeah it was pretty scary,” said Bertine Bourque, a witness to the fire.
Two buildings surrounding the property were damaged as a result of the fire.
Cars in the rooming house’s parking lot were also damaged, including the new truck of building’s owner.
“I was more concerned about the lincoln because I was going to give it to my daughter for her birthday,” said David Henry.
WATCH: Moncton fire destroys house
At least eight tenants have been provided with emergency lodging by Canadian Red Cross volunteers.
The organization says some of those tenants may receive additional support on Wednesday as other needs are identified.
Ten other tenants have found temporary places to stay or were away at the time of the fire.
No tenants were injured in the blaze, but one firefighter was taken to hospital with a fractured arm.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Investigators have already conducted interviews and photographed the scene.
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