An apartment fire in Niverville this early morning forced a dozen families to flee their homes.

“Everybody is accounted for and nobody was hurt, that is the big thing,” says Niverville Fire Chief Keith Bueckert who says all 12 suites were safely evacuated.

It was around 2 AM when crews were dispatched to the scene, just off of Main Street. When his crews arrived, Beuckert says they noticed flames shooting from the upper floor of the three-storey building. He says the fire had entered a large attic space, giving it a lot of room to breathe and expand. Firefighters spent much of the night prying into the rooftop in order to gain access to the hot spots. Bueckert thanks the fire departments from Taché and Ritchot whose assistance, he says, was instrumental in getting the blaze under control. 

Bueckert says the outside of the building looks relatively unscathed as most of the fire damage is contained to the attic.

Whatever parts of the building were not touched by flames were heavily damaged by smoke and water. Whether or not the apartment complex is declared a total loss, Bueckert says it will not be usable for a long time.

“We’ve set up a number with the Town of Niverville that people can contact if they are displaced,” notes the chief, “and we’re working at getting them in touch with the Red Cross because this building won’t be inhabitable for a while.”

Families or individuals who do find themselves hurting as a result of the unexpected fire are advised to call the dedicated emergency phone line at 1-431-275-8984.

The fire is now extinguished but Beuckert says his firefighters will be monitoring it throughout the day. Meanwhile, the Office of The Fire Commissioner will be investigating the fire today to determine its source and come up with a total damage estimate.