Brandon condo building left with extensive damage after going up in flames
A Brandon condominium complex has been left with extensive damage after going up in flames on Tuesday.
The fire broke out in a building the 1400 block of Pacific Avenue.
Firefighters worked through the night and into Wednesday to contain the fire and put out hot spots at the four-storey condo building
Jae Johnston, who lives in a condo across the street, said the initial sound of sirens didn’t disturb her.
“My roommate texted me and she was like ‘Have you seen the fire?’ I was like, ‘What fire?’ She’s like, ‘Look out the window,’ and then I went and looked out and there was a big blaze.” she said.
Johnston said the street started filling up with people - some who wanted to see what was going on and others who were being evacuated.
She added the fire was so big that people in her building feared their condo would catch fire as well.
“We were all kind of concerned. Everyone in the building was packing up. Just hoping for the best and expecting the worst,” Johnston said.
Deputy Fire Chief for Brandon Emergency Fire Services Terry Parlow said crews responded to the fire around 8:45pm on Tuesday.
“It was very involved when we attended the scene initially,” Parlow said.
Parlow said firefighters contained the blaze to the one building, and crews worked through the night into Wednesday afternoon.
He noted that no injuries have been reported as a result of this fire.
“All personnel and occupants have been accounted for, and everybody’s safe and well. There’s obviously a lot going on in their lives right now,” he said.
Brandon residents have been reaching out to see how they can help.
The City of Brandon put out a tweet saying: “We have been seeing several requests from the kind residents of Brandon on what/how they can donate to the persons who have been displaced due to the downtown fire last night.”
The city is asking residents to hold off on donating items until the needs of those impacted are assessed.
Johnston said she knows some of the people who live in the condo building
“They’ve lost everything, but they’re doing okay and everyone seems to have a place to go and all that,” she said.
Fire officials sid the top level of the condo has extensive fire damage, while the lower levels were damaged by water.
On Thursday morning, the Brandon Police Service said the cause of the fire was accidental.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.