'We're all alive, that's what matters': Dozens escape fire that destroyed Charlottetown apartment building

Dozens of residents escaped an apartment building fire in northeast Charlottetown overnight Mondaythat left their homes destroyed, their nerves shattered and their belongings in a pile of charred rubble.

The 20-unit building at 6 Elena Court, near theintersection of the bypass highway and St. Peters Road in East Royalty, had about 40 people living in it.

"We were outside for the whole night, traumatized," saidShawKaushik, one of several newcomers who lived in the building.

"My phone's inside, my laptop's inside, my cash, my credit card, my car keys. Everything's inside, so I don't know what to do right now."

Charlottetowndeputy fire chief Kent Mitchell said fire alarms in the building went off at around12:40a.m. The blaze took several hours to extinguish, and firefighters were still at the scene when the sun came up.

"It was a very serious fire and nice to have it behind us," he said."There was fire throughout the structure so it's hard to reach all those areas."

The building is being torn down so firefighters can get water on the remaining hot spots.

Everyone inside was able to get out without serious injuries, Mitchell said.

That was a relief for the residents, who consoled each other as the building went up in flames.

"We're all alive. That's what matters,"Kaushiksaid.

Hewasin the shower when heard the alarm go off. He looked out the window and saw flames, then quickly woke up his roommate and they ran outside.Kaushik was still only wearing a towel when they made their escape.

Firefighters battle lingering hot spots after Charlottetown apartment building blaze

4 months ago

Duration 2:08

Charlottetown firefighters continued to tackle hot spots throughout the day Tuesday after a fire destroyed an apartment building at Elena Court overnight. The department's deputy chief, Kent Mitchell, tells CBC's Laura Meader about the ongoing investigation, how the cause of the fire will be determined and the challenges firefighters faced while battling the blaze.

"When I came out I saw the right side to the middle on fire, both floors, up to the roof, the flames were high," Kaushiksaid.

He has been in Canada for three years. It is his first time living away from home. He lost everything he has built up in those three years, and he had no insurance.

"It's gone," he said. "I don't have any place to go. I don't have any family I can call up."

Nakul Chhabra, who moved to Canada from India a few years ago,pointed to a soiled Canadian flag where his apartment used to be.

He said all he cared about was saving the documents that allow him to stay in the country. They were all kept in a suitcase that he managed to retrieve with the help of a police officer.

"We don't need anything else. No clothes. Nothing," he said. "We got our documents. I'm safe."

Some residents were exhausted Tuesday after being up all night.The Red Cross has been helping residentsdisplaced by the fire with temporary accommodations, food and clothing.

Yasmeen Thakur said she and her husband are worried they will not find a new place to live,given the housing shortage on P.E.I.

"It's really sad, it's really shocking," she said. "We are having like a depression right now. I don't know what to do right now."

While the residents were dealing with their loss, firefighters concentratedon keeping hot spots from flaring up.There was some heat damage to adjacent buildings, Mitchell said.

"We did evacuate some of the surrounding buildings," he said. "It was a full-blown structure fire here with a lot of exposures around the building."

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire inspector is on site, but his work will have to wait until the hot spots are extinguished.

"We don't know the cause ofthe fire but we always tell people be careful cooking ... be careful with mulch, be careful with extension cords, don't leave barbecues unattended."

Mitchell said police and Island EMS helped at thescene. At least one resident andone firefighter sustained non-seriousinjuries and were taken to hospital, Mitchell said.

North River Fire Department provided backup.

T3 Transit offered transportation to the displaced residents, andrerouted some buses around the fire scene.