Fire at rehabilitation centre causes water damage

No one was injured during an early morning fire March 17 at the Kings Regional Rehabilitation Centre in Waterville.

Waterville and District Fire Department were called to the supportive living and learning facility, located near the fire hall on County Home Road, around 2:30 a.m.

“The fire caused some water damage to two units,” department spokesperson Kevin Ernest said.

Susan Hines-Kennedy, the centre’s chief executive officer, said each of the two affected units contained bedrooms for 20 of the facility’s 170 clients. An assessment of the damage was underway March 17, with the impacted clients moved to other locations in the facility.

“We’re hoping to have half of the clients back into their rooms very shortly,” she said.

Hines-Kennedy said renovations would be required to the other unit. Staff have been calling clients’ families to inform them of the situation.

Berwick firefighters were called to the scene while Kentville firefighters were on standby. Emergency Health Services paramedics responded to the scene and checked clients and staff. Officials were on scene until about 6 a.m.

Ernest said the fire was suspicious and the Kings District RCMP and the fire marshal office were notified.

Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia RCMP, said Kings District RCMP responded to the scene and arrested a 33-year-old Waterville man at the facility. He was later released on conditions and will be facing a charge of arson when he appears in Kentville provincial court on May 3.