Woman who acted to save lives at Ryley Hotel fire recognzied

Juliefe Presas downplays her lifesaving role in the Ryley Hotel fire that burned down a century old building, which had become an integral part of the character and history of the village.

A cook at the hotel, Presas was sleeping upstairs in her room when a smoke alarm woke her around 6:40 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 19.

“When I went out of my room I could already see the black smoke in the hall,” she said, smoke that was choking her. “So I came back into my room to grab my phone.

“I thought right away it was a big fire. I grabbed a blanket because I think I cannot escape the building without covering myself.”… For more see the April 15/14 issue of the Tofield Mercury