Residents of 56 units evacuated in Corner Brook apartment complex due to smoke in electrical room
Residents at one of the two Bayview Apartments complexes on Beothuck Crescent in Corner Brook are out of their homes due to smoke in the building's electrical room.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says police and the fire department responded to a fire alarm just after 11 p.m. on Monday, and residents of all 56 units in one building were evacuated. The Red Cross said more than 60 people were evacuated, while the RNC pegged the number at more than 100.
"Tenants were first evacuated to a nearby Salvation Army church hall until a decision was made that no one could return to the building yet due to safety concerns," said Dan Bedell of the Red Cross. "It isn't yet known when most will be allowed back home."
According to the RNC, smoke was discovered in the main electrical room. The fire department had to cut power to the building, and as a result residents were evacuated and had to stay out overnight. Police and the Red Cross initially referred to the incident as a fire, but police later said there was no actual flames, just smoke.
The Red Cross arranged hotels for 57 people, and residents of another 21 apartments made their own arrangements for Monday night.
One Bayview Apartments complex was the site of a fatal fire in 2015, when a 16-year-old girl died. She was initially taken from the apartment and airlifted to Halifax, but later died of her injuries.
There was another fire in a neighbouring Bayview Apartments complex in 2019, and 138 people were evacuated. The fire was contained to a single unit and the occupant was treated for smoke inhalation.
