3 hospitalized, more than a dozen rescued in 111 Avenue apartment fire

About 15 people needed help from firefighters to get out of their apartment building when fire broke out Monday morning.

Smoke at Vinton Apartments on 111 Avenue near 92 Street was reported just after 8 a.m. The first fire-fighting crews on scene called for back-up because of the cold weather and number of residents who needed to be rescued.

According to one resident, Jody, she and her neighbours were unable to escape because the smoke in the hall was so thick.

A firefighter helps a Vinton Apartments resident walk down a firetruck ladder during a fire the morning of March 6, 2023.

They waited on their balconies as a third alarm was sounded and firefighters got set up.

"You have to do evacuation and fire attack at the same time in order to contain everything, so we had I believe it was 14 trucks with approximately 56 firefighters on scene," district fire chief Howard Samycia told CTV News Edmonton.

Jody said, "They did an awesome job. They asked me my name. They walked me down."

"Biggest help, firefighters. I appreciate that," added another resident, Faysal.

Smoke pours out of Vinton Apartments on 111 Avenue near 92 Street on March 6, 2023.

According to officials, three people – two men in their 60s and a man in his 50s – were taken to hospital. Alberta Health Services said they were in stable condition.

Samycia's crews also removed a number of pets from the building. 

"From what I saw, nobody slipped on any of the ladders. The evacuation went very well," Samycia commented.

"It's not a very pleasant thing for citizens to have to do, but everybody put on a brave face and assisted us."

A firefighter carries a cat down a ladder at Vinton Apartments where flames broke out on March 6, 2023.

He believed the flames were contained to the west end of the building, but as of 9:30 a.m., couldn't say how many suites were affected.

The fire was declared out at 11:40 a.m.

As of early Monday afternoon, fire investigators were at the scene and displaced residents  – 24 adults and two children – were being aided by the Emergency Support Response Team and The Red Cross. 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Matt Marshall