A proposed class-action lawsuit filed after a fatal fire at a Dartmouth, N.S., apartment building last spring makes allegations of dry fire hydrants, faulty alarms and smoke detectors that didn't go off.

The Halifax Regional Municipality and the Halifax Regional Water Commission are among those named in the suit filed Monday on behalf of former residents who lived in the building on Primrose Street.

One woman died in the May 19 blaze and 150 tenants were forced from their homes.

Sarah Parker was rescued from her fourth-floor balcony and lost virtually everything she owned in the fire.

"The fire didn't end for us on that day," said Parker, the lead plaintiff. "We're still going through the after-effects of it and we will be for quite a long time."

Building resident Sarah Parker was saved from a fourth-floor balcony when a fire broke out at her north-end Dartmouth apartment building last May. (CBC)

Also named in the lawsuit are the owners of the apartment building and Northview Apartment REIT, the company that managed the building in Dartmouth's north end.

It's alleged in a notice of action that complaints had been made against the woman who died in the fire for smoking in the building.

An investigation by Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency found the fire, which broke out shortly after 3 a.m., originated in the woman's apartment and the likely cause was careless use of smoking materials.

One of the fire hydrants in front of the Primrose Street apartment building that malfunctioned, according to the notice of action. (CBC)

The notice said there were issues in the building with faulty alarm bells that did not sound on two floors and smoke detectors that did not go off.

"In our view that contributed to the fire being as extensive as it was and the delay in people removing themselves from the building," said David Coles, a lawyer with Boyne Clarke.

"Inspections would have picked up the deficiencies and these weren't corrected, there is a concern about followup and enforcement."

Parker wasn't the only resident who could not get out of the building without help.

Firefighters were commended for rescuing several people from balconies but they had trouble fighting the blaze due to a pair of fire hydrants near the building that did not provide water, according to the notice.

"The firefighter and myself could hear the yelling from his co-worker stating, 'The hydrant's dead, we have to go to another one,'" said Parker. "This was yelled loud enough that all the bystanders and myself, who was trying to get down from my balcony, to hear."

One woman was killed in the fire on Primrose Street. (Emma Davie/CBC)

The Halifax Regional Water Commission would not comment as the matter is before the courts. Halifax Regional Municipality said there was no negligence on their behalf and they plan to defend the action.

No one from Northview could be immediately reached for comment.

Coles said about 40 residents are ready to move forward with the suit, which has not yet been certified.

He's expecting more to come forward now that the suit has been filed.

"As part of the process, there will be further advertising to make sure everyone is aware of it."