Halifax Regional firefighters soak down the eaves outside an apartment that burned in a building on Springhill Road in Dartmouth Thursday evening. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldArticle contentA fire at a Dartmouth apartment building Thursday had the potential to be worse because people weren’t evacuating after the alarms went off, Halifax Fire officials say.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentAssistant Chief Jim Stymiest said that when crews were called to the fire at 30 Springhill Rd. at about 6 p.m. they found a well-advanced fire in a top-floor apartment of the four-storey building, which had about 32 apartments.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“It was a fully involved apartment fire when our crews arrived,” Stymiest said.Article content“The fire was blowing out the window, it was a working fire.”Article contentDespite that, he said, not everyone heeded the alarm.Article content“That was our biggest concern. Unfortunately, some residents weren’t leaving promptly. The fire alarms were working, but we had some difficulty clearing people out of the building.”Article content Halifax Regional firefighters work at a building on Springhill Road in Dartmouth where an apartment was gutted by fire Thursday evening. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldArticle contentArticle contentHe said his main goal as the officer in charge of the scene was to make sure everyone was out, “but we did find some residents hanging out in the building while there was an active fire.”Article contentIt’s an important reminder that when people hear a fire alarm they need to exit the building, even if it has a history of false alarms, Stymiest said.Article contentThere were no injuries. The fire was contained to the apartment where it started, but there was water damage to apartments below it.Article contentArticle contentAll other occupants were able to get back into their homes after the fire was out and smoke was cleared from the building.Article contentArticle contentThe cause of the fire is under investigation. There were some reports that an electric bike was involved, but Stymiest said investigators still have to determine if that was the case, and whether that was the cause or ignited because of the fire.Article content“The investigators were there, but they haven’t released their findings yet so I can’t confirm it was e-bike-related,” Stymiest said. “It was reported to us that there were e-bikes in the apartment, but I (don’t have) that confirmed yet.”Article content Halifax Regional firefighters check for more fire on the outside of a building on Springhill Road in Dartmouth where an apartment was gutted by fire Thursday evening. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldArticle contentArticle contentLithium ion batteries like those in e-bikes cause intense fires when they burn.Article contentStymiest said the investigators didn’t have anything concrete to report when he was talking to them late Thursday night.Article content“They have to dig through all their (evidence) and try to figure it out,” he said.Article content“There wasn’t a whole lot left to the apartment. It was an (intense) fire.”Article content
Hanging out in a burning building: Halifax firefighters say some residents ignored alarms as apartment burned
