A fire at a retirement home in East Belfast led to the rescue of two individuals and the evacuation of several others
Belfast: A fire broke out at a retirement home on Saturday afternoon. It happened just after 4 PM at the Fold Housing Association near Inverary Drive.
Fire crews quickly arrived on the scene. They used breathing apparatus to search the building and managed to rescue two people from the flat.
Three more residents were safely led out from nearby flats by the fire service and police. The rescued individuals were taken care of by the ambulance service.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and seven fire appliances were on site to handle the situation.
Due to the fire, some roads in the area were closed off to traffic. The police and ambulance service are still gathering more details.
Residents were moved to a local community center set up by Belfast City Council for their safety.
Linda Stitt, a resident for nine years, shared her experience from the community center with her dog, Dolly.
She said the fire alarm went off, and she noticed smoke coming from a flat above. Being in a separate flat, she helped bring in some residents for tea.
Things escalated quickly when windows blew out, and emergency services arrived. Linda saw them performing CPR on one person.
She mentioned that three people were taken away in ambulances, and the fire brigade had to evacuate those who couldn’t leave on their own.
Linda praised the emergency services and the council for their quick response. She noted how fast the council opened the community center for them.
She also appreciated how the fire service always responds promptly, even for minor incidents.
