VANCOUVER (CBC) - Residents of a North Vancouver apartment building badly damaged in a deadly fire Tuesday night were allowed back into their suites for the first time Friday.

But police had more bad news for the former tenants of the building at 155 East 19th St. near Lonsdale Avenue.

"The building will be uninhabitable for a year," North Vancouver RCMP Const. Michael McLaughlin said as the former tenants were escorted into their apartments by firefighters and given just 10 minutes to obtain valuables.

They wore gloves and masks as they sifted through charred chunks of wood to find personal belongings like wallets, keys and photos, which they had no time to take as the fire swept through the building.

"It looks like some of the people have lost everything," said resident Brian Matthews. "But the community has been awesome. They've really come to help us."

Jackie Hartman just wants to find a new home.

"You can't hang out and cry in there," she said. "I just wanted to get my stuff, go, then go on to the next step. We won't be going back in there except to move out."

The fire claimed the lives of three elderly women. Annetta Meester, 80, and Rita Phillips, 78, were found dead in the front lobby of the smoke-filled building. Isle Wilhelmine Dragossy, 84, was found dead in her third-floor apartment.

Investigators said the fire broke out around 9:45 p.m. PT in the living room of a first-floor suite in the three-storey, wood-frame apartment building.

RCMP said Thursday the blaze was accidental and firefighters are trying to determine whether smoking was a factor.

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