WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Officer of the Ontario Fire Marshal is being called in to investigate the cause of a fire in the Little River Acres area of Windsor that destroyed the roof of a three-storey apartment building.
On Saturday, firefighters rushed to the scene in the 8500-block of Little River Road at approximately 1:30 p.m. to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of the east-end structure.
"We heard the fire alarms go off and then everybody kind of ran," said Erika Boyle, a resident in an opposite building. "We saw the fire started somewhere on the third floor and it went to the roof but, luckily, the [firefighters] were here and they took over right away."
Additional fire crews were called in to fight the blaze which had been upgraded to a three-alarm fire has heavy black and white smoke could be seen billowing from the building.
A balcony along the side of the building facing a row of houses could be seen charred by the fire and a gapping hole where the roof had been above.
Boyle describes a rush of panic as she scrambled to make sure her family was all accounted for.
“It was really scary, actually,” said Boyle. “My best friend’s parents live in that building so, I was really scared but, luckily, everybody is okay as far as I know.”
There are no reported injuries yet and a cause has not yet been pinpointed by officials.
The Fire Marshal’s office is expected to begin the investigation tomorrow.
