SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Dylan Beliveau rushed home after his girlfriend called to tell him their 48 Avenue apartment was on fire Thursday afternoon.

When he arrived at Hudson House, on the corner of 49 Street and 48 Avenue, there were more than 20 firefighters working around the building and the street was blocked off by municipal enforcement vehicles.

Firefighters take a ladder to the back of the Hudson House on 48 Avenue where there was an extensive amount of smoke coming from a second floor apartment on Thursday afternoon. - Nicole Veerman/NNSL photo

Beliveau, who works for Northern Disaster Services - a company that deals with fire damage restoration - said he never expected his work and home life to collide.

"I almost wanted to cry for a minute," he said. "But you just gotta take it as it is."

The fire alarm went off at Hudson House around 3:00 p.m.

Michelle Alksne, Beliveau's neighbour on the second floor, said she wasn't sure if there was a fire, but there was a ton of smoke.

"They were banging on the door something fierce," she said. "And, oh my God it stinks."

Beliveau spoke to a firefighter on the scene, who said the smoke originated in the room where he keeps his computer, four guitars and recording equipment.

"I don't have insurance for possessions, so all of that (stuff) that I've paid for, I'll have to go out and pay for it again.

"I was just starting to get ahead," he said while shaking his head.

The fire was quickly contained and extinguished, according to a press release from the fire department.

Beliveau has lived in apartment 14 on the second floor of the Hudson House for about three years now. He said he had gone home on his lunch break and hung out in the room where the fire started.

When asked what he thought may have caused it, he said, "Maybe a cigarette or one of my power bars.

"That's the only thing I can think of."

The Yellowknife fire department hadn't determined the cause of the fire or the amount of damage at press time.

With that thought in mind, he said he was grateful no one got hurt and the building didn't burn to the ground.

At around 4:20 p.m., all of the building's residents were allowed back into the building. Beliveau and his girlfriend were told they could see their suite, but they wouldn't be able to stay in their apartment for at least the night.

Beliveau said he would be sleeping over at a friend's house while his girlfriend spends the night with her mother.

Before heading to his friend's place, Beliveau said he was thinking of making a detour at a music store. "I might have to go buy another guitar to ease the pain," he said.

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