MEDIA RELEASE

www.thunderbay.ca/fire

Regency Towers Fire Sends Three to Hospital

January 31, 2018 –A fire investigation is underway to determine the origin and cause of a fire at 9
Regency Street, Regency Towers, which sent three people to hospital. The investigation is being
conducted by Thunder Bay Fire Rescue investigators along with an investigator from the Office of the
Fire Marshal.

“The normal challenges of firefighting and rescue operations in a high rise building were further
challenged by occupants who did not evacuate the building and were found wandering the
corridors,” said Deputy Fire Chief Greg Hankkio. “Occupants need to evacuate when the fire alarm
sounds unless they are physically unable to, or the fire conditions make it unsafe to do so.”

Regency Towers is a high rise residential building located at 9 Regent Street in Thunder Bay. Fighting
fires in these types of buildings is a labour intensive process. In total, 24 fire fighters from seven
apparatus were involved in firefighting and rescue operations during this event. Challenging
conditions were exacerbated by building occupants who neither evacuated nor stayed in their suites
in accordance with the Fire Safety Plan for the building. Many of the building occupants wandered
the corridors, needlessly putting themselves at risk and challenging the firefighting resources tasked
with rescuing fire victims and extinguishing the fire.

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Contact: Eric Nordlund, Division Chief, Fire Prevention and Investigation – Thunder Bay Fire
Rescue, 625-2650, cell 627-4528 or enordlund@thunderbay.ca

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Headquarters

330 Vickers Street North, Thunder Bay, ON P7C 4B2
807-625-2105