THUNDER BAY – Breaking News – Residents of the Royal Edward Arms on May Street were evacuated this afternoon as fire crews responded to what has been reported is a fire on the second floor of the residence. Many of the residents came over to the Victoriaville Centre, and others were huddled outside the building.
In the wintery weather, some were in blankets to keep warm.
The Royal Edward Arms is a social housing apartment building built in 1928 in the historic downtown of Fort William, part of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It rises 8 storeys above the intersection of South May and George Streets.
Originally built in the late 1920s as a hotel, it was highly successful until the 1970s. It sat vacant until 1985, when it was renovated into a 64-unit low-income housing facility. Today it is owned by the Thunder Bay District Housing Corporation.
Residents are waiting for the all clear from Fire officials before returning home.