Fire damages two social housing units on Lourdes Ave.

Cornwall firefighters made their way into one of the Lourdes Ave. row house units after a fire on a back deck on April 23, 2015. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)

CORNWALL – At least two units at a social housing complex in Cornwall have been heavily damaged after a midnight fire.

Firefighters were called at 11:30 p.m. Thursday to Lourdes Avenue – a street off Sydney Street near Thirteenth this morning for heavy smoke and flames in the back of 215 and 217 Lourdes Avenue.

A total of 14 firefighters and five fire vehicles were on the scene of the row housing complex.

A visibly distraught woman, who identified herself to authorities as the occupant of one of the units, clutched two children and she watched firefighters drag hoses inside the front door of her home.

Paramedics and police asked the woman and children if they wanted blankets to keep warm from the bitter wind and chill in the air.

A woman, who identified herself as one of the occupants, clutches two children while speaking with police and paramedics. No one was injured in the fire April 23, 2015. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)
A woman, who identified herself as one of the occupants, clutches two children while speaking with police and paramedics. No one was injured in the fire April 23, 2015. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)

Meanwhile, city firefighters were at the back of the units using saws to cut into the walls to get at the fire.

They were able to get it under control just after 1:30 a.m.

The Lourdes Avenue social housing complex is made up of 35, three-bedroom units and is run by the Cornwall and Area Housing Corporation.

The fire prevention unit is still investigating the cause of the fire.

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