SAINT JOHN, N.B.- A major fire in the north end last night has displaced a family of five and sent one firefighter to hospital with suspected heat exhaustion.

The blaze at 64 Albert Street was reported shortly before 6:30.

Fire Chief Kevin Clifford says crews faced significant fire at the front of the building when they arrived. “A lot of damage in the left hand area of the structure, a lot of fire damage, and a lot of heat and smoke damage throughout”, says Clifford. “We were able to get the fire stopped midway through the building but there’s still significant damage”.

Clifford says the injured firefighter was feeling much better after being taken to hospital. “There was a lot of interior operations so given the nature of the heat and the exposure to the excitement and the adrenaline, he came out and was feeling fairly weak”.

Clifford says the cause of the blaze is under investigation.