Apartment building destroyed by fire in Castlegar

A four-unit apartment building in Castlegar, B.C., was destroyed by one of three fires in town early Saturday. 

Crews were called to the first fire, involving the apartment building, just after midnight. 

Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio said the fire originated in a vehicle parked beside the building, but climbed up the side of the complex to the roof. 

He said the tenants all got out safely and are being taken care of by emergency support services. Another nearby apartment building was also evacuated to be safe. 

According to Lattanzio, the building sustained serious water and fire damage, and will have to be demolished. 

"It is a total loss in my opinion," he said. 

"We have five or six people that don't have a home after this event."

Lattanzio believes the fire was caused by electrical issues in the vehicle and is not considered suspicious. 

While fire crews were fighting the apartment fire just after 5 a.m. another call came in about a possible dumpster fire along Columbia Avenue. Four of the 15 members fighting the apartment fire were sent to the scene.

When crews arrived, they found a smoldering blanket wrapped around a bike rack. 

"I don't believe the fire was intentionally set," Lattanzio said. 

A short time later, the fire department received a third call about another fire along Columbia Avenue, this time near a gas station. Four firefighters were sent to extinguish that fire.

Upon arrival crews found an active fire and the remains of a tent and campsite, but no people were around. 

Once the fire was out, crews returned to the apartment fire. 

Lattanzio doesn't suspect any of the fires are linked.