Update Friday 11 a.m.
Chief Fire Prevention Officer Randy Vezina tells BayToday a post-mortem is being done right now. The fire marshalls have returned and are waiting for a forensic engineer from Toronto. Fire crews and a police Ident unit will go in to assist in processing the scene.
The damage is pegged up to $200,000. The fire Marshall will be releasing the house back to the owner this afternoon.
Seven people are homeless and Vezina says they won’t be able to return with the condition the house is in..
Victim Services of Nipissing District is assisting.
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Update 11 a.m.
Fire Chief Jason Whiteley says in a news release, "At 3:38 this morning, North Bay Fire and Emergency Services responded to 486 Algonquin Ave for a reported structure fire. Crews arrived to a three story duplex with a working fire on the second floor with three tenants needing immediate rescue from the roof and windows of the second story.
"Fire crews rescued the immediate victims, while other fire crews entered the house to do an immediate search and rescue and begin fire control. A 4th victim was located and removed from the second floor with vital signs absent. Fire crews immediately began resuscitation and patient care was transferred to North Bay EMS upon their arrival, which transported the victim to hospital.
"North Bay’s Fire Prevention Division and North Bay Police will be assisting the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office with the investigation.
"The building did have working smoke alarms that alerted the tenants to the fire. North Bay Fire and Emergency Services want to stress the importance of having a working smoke alarm on every level and adjacent to all sleeping areas to provide early detection and notification, and to ensure that residents and families have an escape plan with two ways out."
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Original story:
Fire officials report that an early morning fire at an Algonquin Ave. rooming house has left one man dead.
Crews were called out around 3:40 to 486 Algonquin Ave.
Fire Chief. Jason Whiteley told BayToday "We executed four rescues last night. The fourth victim succumbed to his injuries."
Whiteley says he's not 100 per cent sure if the victim was dead when he was pulled out of if he died in hospital.
"The fire is out and we're securing the scene. We've called in the Fire Marshall's office to do the investigation."
Fire Station #1 responded.
The northbound curb lane on Algonquin Ave. is closed at this time.
Whiteley says he'll be releasing full details later this morning.
