Seniors evacuated from Pictou apartment complex after fire at nearby building

Seniors evacuated from Pictou apartment after nearby fire An apartment complex for seniors was evacuated in Pictou, N.S., Thursday evening after a fire at a nearby building.

Halifax — An apartment complex for seniors was evacuated in Pictou, N.S., Thursday evening after a fire at a nearby building.

The Canadian Red Cross says the Washtub Laundromat building on Depot Street caught fire around 10 p.m.

The building, which housed both a laundromat and an Enviro-Depot recycling business, was destroyed.

At least 19 people were temporarily evacuated from the Coleraine Plaza seniors building over safety concerns, including heavy smoke from the nearby blaze.

Electricity in the area was also shut off because there were propane tanks outside the laundromat and the potential for flammable products at the recycling depot.

Volunteers helped arrange emergency lodging for two men and one woman from the seniors' residence. The other people who were displaced went to stay with relatives or friends for the evening.

It is expected the residents will be allowed to return to their building Friday, once the scene is cleared and electricity is restored.