Seven families displaced following apartment fire

Tim Brody - Editor

Seven families in Sioux Lookout have been displaced following a structural fire on the evening of May 5.

Members of the Sioux Lookout Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Sioux Lookout Fire Department, and North West Emergency Medical Services responded to the fire at a seven-unit apartment building on Prince Street at approximately 6:00 pm.

Sioux Lookout OPP informed that, “All tenants of the building made it to safety, and the fire did not spread to neighboring properties thanks to the Sioux Lookout Fire Department’s prompt and efficient response.”

Robert Popovic, Municipal Manager of Emergency Services/Fire Chief shared in a statement to The Bulletin that, “On initial arrival, there was smoke and flames from the north west corner of a multi-unit residential building.  The first arriving truck deployed a hoseline to the rear of the structure and applied water to the area.  However due to the wind and the location of the fire, the fire extended into the attic space of the roof structure.  As a result of the fire progressing into the attic space, the entire structure sustained damage due to water being applied inside the attic space.”  

He added, “Several OPP officers conducted a door to door search for any occupants that maybe in the building.  There was heavy smoke surrounding the building during the search, and several OPP officers sustained smoke inhalation and required medical attention at the hospital.”

Sioux Lookout OPP confirmed the following day that the officers were all okay.

The fire was deemed to be under control at 1910 hrs (7:10 p.m.).  

Members of the Sioux Lookout OPP, with assistance from the Office of the Fire Marshal and OPP Identification Unit, are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.