Fire Destroys Eight Homes

Photo Credit: Mike & Jennifer Van Der Hoek, Sherida Germain, and June Jenkins

 

Fire Fighters worked to put out a residential fire in Elk Point. The blaze started on the east-end of a row of townhouses Friday afternoon and quickly took over the building.

There were no injuries and all residents escaped the fire; one family has lost a pet, a cat, in the blaze.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the displaced home owners; donate here.

Deputy Fire Chief, for the Elk Point Fire Department, Peter Hewitt, said an investigation as to how the fire started is ongoing.

“We got the call at 4:46pm, and we’re coming back from a grass fire, in Frog Lake,” Hewitt said eight members of the Elk Point Department responded.

“We called Bonnyville for assistance and they sent two trucks from St. Paul,” another nine members attended from St. Paul, confirmed Hewitt.

Crews fought the fire until approximately 9:00 pm.

Witnesses say the fire has engulfed the entire structure of eight houses.

Sherida Germain was on the scene from the beginning, “it was devastating to watch.”

“When we first showed up before emergency crews, a few of us were knocking on doors and trying to break into some of the places looking for people and pets, until police arrived and we were told to back away from the fire.”

Germain said she wanted to make sure there was no one in the homes.

“After that, it was hard to watch and not be able to do anything. We helped put out some of the fire in the field, but there wasn’t much else we could do.” Germain said they stood back and allowed emergency crews to work.

Crews continued to work to put out the fire and advise people to stay clear.

The cause of the fire is unknown.