GLACE BAY — Thirteen people have been left homeless, following a serious fire at a boarding house Friday.
“Police rescued eight or nine people from the building,” said Jim Taylor, fire chief of the Glace Bay Fire Department.
“There was one gentleman on the roof of the front porch area when we got there and we helped him down.”
The fire broke out at 25 Dominion St., at about 1:10 a.m. in the former Glebe House beside St. Anthony’s Church.
Tenant Darren Simmons lived on the second floor. A smoke detector woke him up.
“I thought it was only something tiny going on, because the alarm has gone off before.”
However Simmons opened the door to his room to find the hallway full of smoke.
“As soon as I saw the smoke I dropped to the floor and began to crawl towards the stairwell,” he said. “The hallway was filled, I remember there was dark and light smoke.”
Simmons met up with another tenant also trying to escape through the thick smoke.
“We got to the stairwell but could feel too much heat.”
Simmons said the other tenant led him to the fire escape.
He said 13 tenants live in the building, most were outside by this time.
“It was a little scary afterwards,” he said. “I saw them (police) helping one tenant who was barely walking. They took him to the ambulance and were trying to help him get his breath back.”
Simmons went to his mother’s house for the night.
“I am glad everyone was okay.”
Taylor said firefighters arrived at the scene to heavy black smoke.
“There was fire coming out of the back end of the house at the side and rear, extending up the side of the building towards the roof,” he said.“There were five layers of shingles on the roof which caused us some grief.”
Taylor said the cause of the fire cannot be determined until an investigation has been complete, but early speculation is the fire started at the back of the building in the common kitchen area.
“I don’t suspect it is suspicious, but I always treat it as though it is until proven otherwise,” he said.
The building is owned by an Ontario woman.
Police were on the scene investigating the cause Friday afternoon, along with members of the fire marshal’s office.
“We are still investigating, still digging,” said deputy fire marshal Doug MacKenzie, late Friday afternoon.
Jason Noseworthy, Canadian Red Cross district community supervisor in Sydney, said about 12 tenants were living in the building. By the time arrangements were made, four were transported to Sydney and provided with lodging, food and clothing.
“At this stage today, two others have been provided clothing and food vouchers.”
Some tenants are being assisted by the Department of Community Services.