AMHERST, N.S. – Ten people including an adult who had to be hospitalized for burns were displaced by a fire Wednesday evening that extensively damaged an older two-storey house containing two apartments in Amherst.
“When we arrived on scene we found the remnants of a burned mattress outside,” Amherst fire chief Greg Jones said. “We assisted with getting the occupants out of the building and one was taken to the hospital to be checked out.”
Jones said the interior of the building, that had two apartments, suffered extensive damage and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Disaster volunteers with the Canadian Red Cross have arranged emergency lodging, food and clothing purchases and other basics for two other adults and seven children.
The fire was reported around 5 p.m. at 18 West Pleasant St.
At the same time as firefighters were on West Pleasant Street, the department also received a call about a possible propane leak at the former Co-op building on Lawrence Street.
Jones said there was a smell of propane at the building that houses a customer support centre and a farm store. Jones said the source of the leak was quickly dealt with.
