'Couldn't believe what I was seeing': WRPS officer first to respond to A Better Tent City fire
Two housing units at A Better Tent City in Kitchener were damaged Thursday in a fire.
Emergency crews were called to 49 Ardelt Ave. around 3:18 a.m.
A few minutes later, an officer with the Waterloo Regional Police Service was driving on Highway 7/8 when he noticed the flames.
"I really couldn't believe what I was seeing," said Const. Nolan Di Diomete.
He pulled over to the side of the road and then saw a woman in distress, who said she thought someone was inside one of the units.
Di Diomete then hopped a barbed wire fence, and ran over to help.
"One minute feels like 10 minutes," he recounted. "At one point flames were pouring out of the side window of the fully engulfed unit, which then spread to the secondary adjacent building."
Di Diomete wasn't able to get inside the burning unit, but did get two people out of neighbouring shelters.
The person who lived in that unit was not home at the time, but instead staying with a friend.
Di Diomete was the only one taken to hospital for minor injuries he received from scaling the fence.
"I'm extremely happy that everyone involved in the shelter is OK," he said. "And most importantly, I know the community of Kitchener will rally around the victims affected by this."
"We are incredibly proud of the quick-thinking actions of Constable Nolan Di Diomete," said Police Chief Bryan Larkin in a media release. "[He] showed bravery in running towards the fire and ensuring the safety of residents."
Nadine Green, the site coordinator for A Better Tent City, said residents were left shaken by the early morning fire.
"People were in shock that they didn't hear or see anything," she said. "It was very cold, so it just puts residents out."
A Grand River Transit bus was brought in so residents had somewhere warm to stay while crews worked to put out the flames.
One of the housing units was severely damaged by fire.
"We're going to have to get [the resident] a new cabin," said Green. "They can't stay in that one, it's going to be torn down."
A second unit also had minor damage.
The Waterloo Regional Police Service said the damage estimate is at least $5,000, while Kitchener Fire put it closer to $20,000.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but police don't believe it is suspicious.
-- With reporting by Ricardo Veneza
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.