Key updates from HRM (As of 10:30am Sept. 15, 2025):
- Evacuation order lifted: Residents of the area surrounding 119 Hanwell Drive may return home as of 7:30 a.m. today. The apartment building itself remains unsafe to enter due to extensive fire damage.
- Evacuation centre: Springfield Lake Recreation Centre (266 Lakeview Avenue) is open for anyone impacted. Red Cross staff began in-person registration at 7 a.m.
- Transit detours: Halifax Transit routes 83 and 183 are bypassing Beaconsfield Way, Darlington Drive, Hanwell Drive and Swindon Drive. Buses are staying on Sackville Drive in both directions until firefighting work is complete.
- Air quality advisory: Smoke is still present in the area. Residents are advised to stay indoors and turn off air exchangers.
- Water service impacts: Residents in Lower and Middle Sackville may experience discoloured water or low water pressure. Halifax Water recommends running cold water at one tap until it clears. More info and reporting available at halifaxwater.ca/discoloured-water.
- Avoid the area: Firefighters remain on scene at 119 Hanwell Drive and ask the public to steer clear.
What happened
A massive overnight fire forced more than 180 residents from a four-story apartment building on Hanwell Drive in Middle Sackville.
Crews were first called shortly after midnight and found heavy smoke and flames already spreading through the building’s roofline. The fire quickly escalated, with additional firefighters and equipment brought in from across Halifax.
At its peak, the response reached what firefighters call a “third alarm,” meaning three times the normal number of crews and trucks sent to a large blaze. The operation involved dozens of firefighters, ladder trucks, and water tankers brought in to deal with low water pressure in the neighbourhood.
Residents of the building and nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution. No injuries have been reported.
Officials also contacted the Department of Natural Resources due to concerns about flying embers reaching nearby forested areas. RCMP, Halifax Water, Emergency Health Services, and the provincial Emergency Management Office supported the response.
The evacuation order for surrounding homes was lifted this morning, but the damaged apartment building itself remains closed. Firefighters are expected to remain on site for an extended period.
