Fire at Center Condo

[Oukiva]

Hi. This morning early wake-up for everyone in Center Condotel, on South Road. At about 5AM the fire alarm started ringing. I have a look in the corridor and already lot of smoke in the central/lifts area. Oops. I dress quickly and try to go see what's happening. Lot of grey smoke coming from floor 10, but bad smoke in the way it was irritating and make us difficult to breath. So I went to the emergency stairs at the other extremity of the corridor and climbed on the (flat) roof were I have fresh air and can well see everything. Fire is on floor 9 in the other wing of the condo. Don't know what burn inside but outside smoke is very black and fire seen on the balcony very bright orange/red.

Firemen not long to arrive. 2 big vehicles first, then 2 later 2 others + 1 with their biggest firefighter ladder. These 3 last vehicle will not be used. I saw hoses near the 2 first trucks but unsure if they used them (10 floors...) as there are (of course) hoses and firemen water accesses on each floor. It took a rather long time to firemen to stop the fire, and a huge quantity of water who flooded a big part of 9th floor. When I went to see, about 10 minutes later, the heat coming from the burnt unit was still very impressive. Inside, everything that didn't burnt had melted.

I didn't see firemen taking out any body, but apparently there was one person inside who unsurprisingly died, and rumour that he was probably smoking in bed and felt asleep.

Will add details if/when I get them.

[Piece Corp]

Damn, I lived on the 4th floor back in 2005.  Used to see Howard Miller on the elevator all the time.

[forcebwithu]

Good to hear you got out safe Oukiva. One person not so lucky. RIP

 

[Taa_Saparot]

Just saw some photos, and the poor guy was dead still in his bed.

I guess no smoke alarm ?

[Oukiva]

I just found this video on FB. Taken from the main stairs of the condo, and probably at the end, just before firemen managed to stop the fire.

On another FB article, I found copy of the victim's passport. So I now know who... and for sure he was a special person. Take that with all respect due to a dead person, but saying that he was a heavy drinker is not enough. I think that whatever time I saw him in the condo, he was drunk . I noticed him because nearly systematically he needed help from security guys to go down from the motorbike-taxi… and often to escort him to his apartment, unable to walk.... I would not be surprised if this "special characteristic" played a role in his death...

R.I.P. anyway

[striderman]

i think this older build condo was probably more resilient to fire than some of the newer ones

[Oukiva]

47 minutes ago, striderman said:

I think this older build condo was probably more resilient to fire than some of the newer ones

I think it's a good remark. 

I know of 2 such big fires in this condo since I am living in. In both cases the fire was at some point very strong and the inside of the unit has been nearly fully destroyed, but the fire always stayed in the initial unit and never propagated to nearby units or technical areas. A good thing. 

[Taa_Saparot]

1 hour ago, Oukiva said:

I think it's a good remark. 

I know of 2 such big fires in this condo since I am living in. In both cases the fire was at some point very strong and the inside of the unit has been nearly fully destroyed, but the fire always stayed in the initial unit and never propagated to nearby units or technical areas. A good thing. 

And no water damage to condos below?