CORNWALL – The city’s fire chief says charges are pending in a fire on Gloucester Street, which left several people homeless.
One man was rushed to hospital Wednesday (March 9) after flames starting shooting out of an upper floor of a rooming house at 22 Gloucester Street.
“It’s inappropriate use of fire equipment. We’re still investigating but there’s charges pending there as well,” Fire Chief Pierre Voisine told Cornwall Newswatch Friday.
Voisine did not want to divulge details as the investigation is ongoing but he said it wasn’t due to smoking.
The chief said it was a scary situation for firefighters.
“Anytime we have to rescue someone out of a second window like that it gets a little hairy. Normally, if everything’s working in the building, people have time to get out, through appropriate means. If you’re stuck in having to go through a window to get out of your building you haven’t been alarmed early enough in the whole thing,” Voisine said.
Neighbour Ron Gelineau had told Cornwall Newswatch he believed the victim was sleeping when the fire started.
The Cornwall Red Cross has been helping the fire victims.