Despite losing almost everything she owns on Monday, Hayleah Sabourin says she’s grateful that she’s still alive after a fire tore through her residence in Lake Louise, Alta.
“As much as, yeah, it really sucks that I lost literally everything that I own, I’d rather that than not have the chance to wake up tomorrow,” Sabourin said.
“In the situation that I was in, how close I was to the fire and the fact that I was sleeping, I could have been in a way worse situation. I could have died.”
Residents of the Charleston Residence — a three-storey log building that houses hundreds of staff during the year — saw their living quarters go up in flames on Monday.
Police, along with local fire departments and EMS responded to the blaze at around noon. Buses transported people from the fire scene to a muster point at the Lake Louise ski hill, according to RCMP.
It’s believed the Charleston Residence was housing between 150 and 200 people. It can house as many as 400 during the busy winter season.
There were no fatalities reported, but one person was assessed and taken to hospital following the blaze, Alberta Health Services said, adding the patient was in serious but stable condition.
Sabourin said she saw one person trying to escape the flames.
“There was a guy on the ledge of the actual building,” said Sabourin.
“He was on the ledge kind of trying to get away from the fire, trying to be safe.”
WATCH | Smoke rises from a fire at the Charleston Residence:
Clouds of smoke can be seen from a distance after the Charleston Residence was engulfed in flames. (Video submitted by Alyssa Wadey)
A resort official said temporary accommodations for some of the people displaced has been arranged, but it is likely the building has been destroyed.
“It’s quite likely that the entire building will be lost,” said Dan Markham, communications director for the Lake Louise Ski Resort.
He added the gondola as well as the restaurant and beverage operations at the ski resort will be shut down for the next few days.
A clothing drive has been set up at the Lake Louise Inn for residents of the Charleston.