2 dead in fire at apartment building in Colchester County

Two people died in a fire at an apartment building Saturday morningin Hilden, N.S.

RCMP saythey responded to a report of a fire on Truro Road at 6:55 a.m.

A media release stated that local fire departments were able to extinguish thefire. No other details were provided.

Christine Blair,the mayor of Colchester County, praised the Hilden Volunteer Fire Brigade and other firstresponders for their excellentwork under such difficult circumstances.

"The families are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time," she said.

The cause of the fire is being investigated byColchester District RCMP, the Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit and the Office of the Fire Marshal.

The RCMP does not believe the fire is suspicious, according to the release.

The Red Cross tweeted that the building had 22 units and that 46 tenants are displaced.

Itset up a comfort centre at the Hilden fire hall to assist anyone from the apartment building with emergency needs.

Temporary housing accommodations have been set up for all the displaced tenants, according to a Sunday news release from the Red Cross.

The organization provided temporary hotel lodging for 22 of the tenants. The other 24 people displaced by the fire arranged to stay with family or friends.

Tenants were told to expect to be out of the building for at least three days, the release said.

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