One woman is dead following an apartment fire in Powell River.
The fire involved multiple public safety agencies, including Fire Rescue, RCMP, BC Ambulance Service, and BC Transit. The Red Cross and BC Coroner were also there.
The fire broke out around 11:30pm last night at the building off Quebec Avenue. Crews were on the scene quickly and were able to contain the blaze, but the victim had died from her injuries. She lived in the apartment where the fire is believed to have started.
“Our firefighters, police, and ambulance are second to none and we can be secure in knowing that they’re there for us, putting their own lives on the line for our safety and protection,” said Mayor Dave Formosa.
“Sadly, there was one fatality, a resident of the complex in the unit where the fire is believed to have started, died as a result of suffering severe injuries,” said Fire Chief Terry Peters. “Our firefighters and BC Ambulance Service did everything possible to revive the individual.”
Peters said the fire could have been much worse. Multiple 911 calls were received beginning at 11:32 pm. When Powell River RCMP arrived first on the scene, exits were compromised, and police started evacuating people on the first floor. BC Transit brought in buses to shelter residents.
All four of the fire department’s trucks were used, along with 25 career and auxiliary firefighters.
“When we arrived, there were multiple people trapped on the second floor on the west side of the building,” said Deputy Fire Chief Rocky Swanson. “At that point we brought a ladder around to the side on the balcony and started pulling people off. Once we were on scene, the fire was extinguished quickly.
