Raw video: Fire destroys apartment building in Port Alberni, BC.

Port Alberni Fire Department website

This is from a fire yesterday in a 26-unit apartment building on Athol Street in Port Alberni in British Columbia. Fire chief Tim Pley told reporters on-duty crew discovered smoke and flames in one of the stairwells and called for assistance.

Here's more from an article by Susan Quinn at Alberni Valley News:

"The wall the fire was into is where the electrical service goes in," Pley said, which made it difficult for firefighters to knock into the wall and attack the flames. "Another challenge is just the search and rescue of 26 suites." 

Six firefighters evacuated the building floor by floor, while others set up to fight the fire, which had already reached the attic. 

"When it's in the attic space, it's almost always a defensive fire," he said. 

"We were never able to control it."

From Heather Thompson at Alberni Valley Times:

 "Because of the extreme heat, we had to pull everyone out," Pley said.

 "We put our energy into getting people out," he said. "We had to rescue two by ladder." He said all of that took quite a bit of time.

The fire quickly ran through the walls and into the ceiling, the fire chief explained. "It is hard to get into the walls," he said. "We are focusing on a defensive attack."

One week ago the Port Alberni released details of a consultants report looking at how the department is run. Click here for the details.