Due to a fire, the RCMP has evacuated the area around the Driftwood Inn in Deer Lake. (Tom Stewart/Twitter)
Firefighters are battling a blaze that broke out at a hotel and restaurant in Deer Lake on Saturday morning, police say.
At around 7 a.m. N.T., RCMP officers arrived at a fire at the Driftwood Inn, located on Nicholsville Road, near Main Street. Under the same roof there is also a Jungle Jim’s restaurant.
“At this time, out of an abundance of caution due to a large propane tank on site, officers have evacuated nearby residences and continue to conduct traffic control,” said the RCMP statement
“We are asking the public to avoid the area to allow first responders to do their work,” said the statement.
Mayor Mike Goosney said that as of 10:30 the fire is ongoing and firefighters have been at the scene for three hours.
“It’s very visible throughout the community,” he told CBC News.
“There’s quite a bit of smoke and you could still see the fire from here. So I would expect it’s going to be quite some time before residents in the nearby area can get back.”
He said the Salvation Army is open for people who have been evacuated.
Goosney said firefighters and equipment from surrounding municipalities, including Reidville and Pasadena, on the ground responding to the situation.
“It just goes to show how everyone can come together when things like this happen.”
The hotel is an old building in the community and if it’s lost, it will be missed, he added.
“Lets just hope everybody’s safe and we move forward from here.”
At the moment, he said he hasn’t heard any reports of people missing.
More to come.
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