Stratford seniors back in their apartments one week after fire
Two residents remain with family as the rest return to their homes
All but two people have returned home to the seniors' apartment complex St. John's House in Stratford after last week's fire.
Reports of the fire came in around 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 3. The fire occurred on the second floor. All 21 residents were safe, with no injuries reported. However, one resident went to the hospital for other medical concerns, according to RCMP.
Allan Hughes, the executive director of the seniors' apartment complex, said he credits the residents for taking care of one another the night of the fire.
"We have a great community of tenants here that look after each other, and some of our tenants don't hear as well as they once used to. So, some of the other tenants were able to alert them to the fact that there was a fire going on and get them out of their unit," he said.
"So between the first responder and the tenants, we consider ourselves very fortunate to have got everybody out safely."
Hughes said one tenant will be out for a few weeks, while the other will be out for a couple of months. Both are staying with family in the short term.
The P.E.I. fire marshal told CBC News that the fire was accidental and started in the building's electrical system.
With files from Jackie Sharkey