Charlottetown apartment fire caused by electrical fault

A fire early Tuesday morning at an apartment building in the northeast of Charlottetown was caused by an electrical fault inside a wall, says deputy fire chief Kent Mitchell.

There were no serious injuries in the fire at 6 Elena Court, but the 20-unit apartment building was destroyed and about 40 residents who lived there were left scrambling to find a place to live.

The fire spread through the building rapidly, and most residents escaped with little more than what they were wearing when the alarm went off at about 12:40 a.m. The Red Cross assisted people with cash for clothing and temporary accommodation.

The fire is considered accidental, said Mitchell,and the scene has been turned over to insurance adjustersfor their investigation.

"This fire was very serious. It was one of the worst fires I've seen as a firefighterand investigator and now as a deputy fire chief here in the city," he said.

"It got up into the attic space. Once it gets up into the attic space, it's very challenging for firefighters to fight this type of fire [because] it's hardto access different points within the attic, that type of thing."

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At least one resident andone firefighter sustained non-seriousinjuries and were taken to hospital.

Mitchell said the firefighter is recovering. He did not comment on the condition of anyone else injured.

'Overwhelming in the best way possible'

Some former tenants of 6 Elena Court told CBC News on Friday they're having mixed emotions: more optimistic about their future and the stress of finding stable and suitable accommodations.

Sarah McGrathand her mother lived in one of the units. Theymanaged to flee the burning building with two dogs and two cats while helping a senior couple who lived across the hall.Two other cats were left behind.

She and her mother quickly found a new place to live through a family connection out of "pure luck."They're grateful for the help of Islanders, who have donated everything from mattresses and clothing to food and pet supplies.

"It's overwhelmingbut in the best way possible," McGrath said."Islanders have really shown their kindness and their neighbourly selves to come out for us and just support us in our time of need."

U-Haul in Charlottetown has been collecting many of those donations.

The business already has filled two storage units withdonationsand isopening a third, said customer service representative Kyle Richard.

"We're not accepting any more beds or kids toys or kids clothing, but kitchenware, pots, pans, bathroom toiletries that kind of stuff is what we actually really need right now," he said.

More support available

CBC News asked the Red Cross if it was extendingtemporary accommodations for the building's former residents, but has not received a response. At least one tenant saidthat their temporary accommodations had been extended from the initial 72 hours to six days.

The P.E.I. Credit Union said in a news release that it has set up an account to accept cash donationsfor those displaced by the fire.All 10 branches across the Island willaccept donations until June 19 at 5 p.m.

Islanders can also email their donation to ap@pcu.ca.

Yasmeen Thakur, who lived at 6 Elena Court with her husband Honey and their two friends, sistersSandeep andRajveer Kaur, said their employers have been helping them after the fire, too.

Between that assistance, donated itemsand a place to stay for the rest of June, they're feeling less stress than they were a few days ago.

"We are getting help from every single individual right now," Thakur said.

It's really more than expected."

CBC News asked the landlord of 6 Elena Court to ask if rent and damage deposits will be refundedto the displaced former tenantsbut has not received a response. At least one tenantsaid the landlord is refunding their damage deposit and a portion of the June rent.

In a statement, the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission said the fire effectively ended the tenancy agreement between the Elena Court residents and their landlord.

Under P.E.I.'s Residential Tenancy Act, landlords must return security deposits, with interest, to the affected tenants within 15 days of the agreement ending.

IRAC also said tenants who have paid their entire rent for June are entitled toa refund for the balance of the month, in this case 20 days.

The commission also urged any residents affected by the Elena Court fire to contact the P.E.I. Rental Office with questions or concerns.