Nearly two dozen firefighters were needed to extinguish a blaze at a Saint John home in the city’s Old North End on Friday.
Saint John Fire Chief Kevin Clifford said crews received calls for a structure fire on Victoria Street around noon.
From the street, flames and billows of smoke could be seen pouring out of the property. Each attempt to enter the home through doors and windows sent more black clouds flowing into the road.
“We had a quick look. It was really, really hot inside. They had to back up, and for the most part, we went defense up until we could get back into the building,” Clifford told reporters at the scene, adding that as of 1 p.m., the fire was under control, and crews would continue to knock down any flames inside.
According to the owner of the home, nobody is currently living in the property but they declined to comment any further.
In rotations, firefighters would enter the building for about twenty minutes and then return to rehydrate and receive oxygen. Clifford noted, based on patterns, that the fire had been building inside the home, which, combined with the summer weather, made for dangerous conditions.
“When I look at a couple of my firefighters with 20, 25 years, and they’re saying that hallway was really hot, one of the hottest fires they’ve ever had,” Clifford said.
The fire chief confirmed multiple members of his crew sustained non-life-threatening injuries as one required stitches, a second was placed on an IV due to heat exhaustion, and a third had debris fall into their eye.
Clifford said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
In addition to several fire trucks, members of the Saint John Police Force, Saint John Energy, and Ambulance New Brunswick were on the scene.
As a result of the fire, the City of Saint John warned residents in the Milledgeville and North end areas that they may be required to flush their water occasionally over the coming days.
A release stated only residents who have been away and not using water would have to flush out the water in their plumbing by turning on bathtub and shower taps.
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