A building that houses a convenience store and multiple residential units on Second Avenue West caught fire this past Monday.
Emergency crews responded to a call at 8:22 a.m. on Boxing Day to the scene of the West End Grocery and apartment building on Second Avenue West in between Seventh Street and Eighth Street.
“The initial fire company was on scene within four minutes from the first call, and began attacking a fire that was burning in a lower suite. The fire extended to the second floor of the building, and was extinguished through aggressive interior attacks on two floors, with hot spots extinguished by 10:22 a.m.,” stated deputy fire chief Jeff Beckwith last week.
The building was evacuated and has since been boarded up by officials.
Beckwith added that 13 firefighters and the deputy fire chief was on hand for the fire, and one person was taken to hospital with unknown injuries.
“The building suffered minimal structural damage to the framework, but there is fire/smoke/water damage to the apartment and throughout much of the building, with drywall/electrical/plumbing damage, as well as smoke and water damage. The grocery store was not damaged,” Beckwith said, adding that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
All residents of the building have been displaced, with many being provided support by Emergency Social Services, with short-term lodging and meals.
“Since the fire caused significant electrical damage, power to the building was disconnected and will not be reconnected until an electrical evaluation can be conducted,” the deputy chief said.
In the fall, another fire occurred mere feet away on the same street when an apartment building adjacent to McElhanney Consulting Services caught fire and displaced a number of residents.
Another fire occurred at a single family residential address on Dec. 26 at the far end of Eighth Avenue East, reported just before 7 p.m.
A fire started in a home’s basement, and was contained to the basement by firefighters, six of whom arrived on scene, along with the deputy chief.
“This fire was contained to the basement, with smoke damage throughout the house. This fire was extinguished by the initial fire crew conducting an interior attack using two hand lines,” said Beckwith.
No injuries were reported and the fire was extinguished by 7:18 p.m.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation and one family has been displaced.
