One person was sent to hospital with undetermined injuries following a fire in a small apartment building on Third Avenue, Saturday morning (June 5, 2021).
Fire departments from all over the Alberni Valley responded to reports of a structure fire at 10 a.m. in the Harbourview Apartments, in the 3100-block of Third Ave. When crews arrived, smoke could be seen billowing from two upstairs windows in an end suite, Port Alberni Fire Dept. Chief Mike Owens said. The building is two storeys with around two dozen units.
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The initial attack crew had to break into the door of the end suite, and once inside discovered a single occupant. That person was brought outside and transferred to an ambulance for transport to West Coast General Hospital. “I am unaware of the status of that individual,” Owens said.
Another person had to be rescued from the balcony via the ladder truck because they were unable to exit due to the fire.
“The fire was contained to the suite of origin. There was some smoke damage in some of the adjacent suites and water damage in the suite below, which was unoccupied,” he said.
Both the Port Alberni RCMP and PAFD fire prevention officer investigated the site on Sunday. Port Alberni RCMP Sgt. Peter Dionne said Monday that the cause was deemed inconclusive.
“It doesn’t appear to be suspicious at this time,” he said.
People from three suites were unable to go back into the building and have received temporary housing through the region’s Emergency Support Services. “All the other occupants of the building are back inside.”
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