16 people displaced after downtown St. John’s fire at NLHC apartment

A fire Thursday afternoon at a downtown St. John’s apartment has forced 16 people out of their homes and into a hotel.

16 people displaced after downtown St. John’s fire at NLHC apartment The apartment has smoke, water and fire damage A fire Thursday afternoon at a downtown St. John’s apartment has forced 16 people out of their homes. A spokesperson for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation told CBC News the fire on Cochrane Street was at one of its properties. There were no injuries and the displaced residents are being put up in hotels.

St. John's Regional Fire Department acting platoon chief Jerry O’Neill said the call about the fire came in around 1:10 p.m. NT and when they arrived, smoke could be seen coming from out of the four-storey building. O’Neill said they determined the fire was in an apartment on the top floor and firefighters were able to knock the fire down

He said the unit had a lot of smoke and water damage, and so does most of the rest of the apartment building. He isn’t sure how long residents will be out of their homes. As part of their firefighting efforts, O’Neill said power had to be temporarily shut off in the area, which impacted an estimated 5,000 Newfoundland Power customers.

The building has been turned over to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, he added, which will investigate the fire. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here.

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