Apartment Fire and Death.
Good Morning.
Well, as most of you know, Friday was the anniversary of my father's death. I didnt want to stay in town. I wasn't dealing with my emotions very well, so I asked (M) if we could go to the trailer friday night instead of Saturday morning. He wanted to stay and sleep in and go Saturday morning. I managed to convince him and we arrived at the trailer at around 10pm. At 8am there was a knock on the door of the trailer and it was one of the owners of the campsite, (M)'s grandmother and another camper. She said to (M), "Wake up, put pants on and come outside I have bad news for you." His first thought was, "Oh no, what happened to my sister and her baby." The owner told us, "Your appartment building is on fire, the fourth and third floors are gone." (M) went into a panic, as this is the third time in 3 years that there have been fire's in the building, and the second time it affects him. I instantly thought, "OMG Winnie!!"
I wont tell you how long it took us to get there, but (M) is a safe driver and I trust him with my life and my soul. When we arrived, it was a horrifying sight. Firemen, fire trucks and fire hoses' everywhere. News vans and people milling about. Tears galore. At the back of the building, the fourth floor did not exist, and the third was only half. It was just a brick shell in the back. The front was a little better, but you could see the damage thru the windows on the third and what was left of the fourth.
We saw some of the other tenants that we knew waiting on the sidelines, and they started to fill us in on what happened...
- they were awoken by the fire alarm at 2am
- 150 firemen
- the fire started on the 4th floor. There was red embers falling from the sky all night, black ash was falling still at 12 noon.
- only person injured was the man who started the fire, he was burnt pretty badly.
The rumers are:
The man was partying with his friends all day, and in a drunken stupor decided to BBQ at 2am. He couldnt get the BBQ started outside on his balcony so he decided to bring it inside. A man, in the building behind ours saw this and warned the man if he lit the BBQ inside he would call the cops. Just as he was diling 911, the guy lit the BBQ and the rest is history. Litterally. I guess one day we may find out what happened, the arson investigators are still investigating.
Tenants inside the building were first awoken by his screams.
Some tenants ignored the fire alarm and were awoken by family memebers who told them to get out of the building as it was really on fire.
We were told that we might be able to get in once the fire was out. Around 1:30-2pm we noticed that firemen were going in and coming out with animals. (M) rushed over to the sidelines and spoke to a fireman and said, "Could you please go get my cat in the basement apartment." (M) watched while holding his breath as the windows to his apartment rattled as the firemen kicked the door in. Minutes later the firemen came out with a long face. Winnie did not make it. (When (M) went in on Monday, he confirmed that she did not suffer in her last moments) My heart is broken, but at least (M), his kids, myself and our baby are all safe and sound.
We were at the building yesterday, and (M) was able to remove our jewlery, some paperwork and some of our CD's and DVD's. He is going to attempt to go back in today and get his tools, some more paperwork and maybe try and take some of his photos off the walls. The clothes, electronics and other personal belongings are completly unsalvageable.
We were in the process of moving me into his apartment, and trying to figure out a way out of my lease. Thank God we had been slacking in that department, because now we have the basics to cover us until we move into a larger place.
Our first priority is to clothe ourselves, get some clothes for his kids and the rest will fall into place. We have begun looking for an apartment and will be looking on the South Shore of Montreal (we both work on the south shore). At the moment we are not in need of any furniture, as we do not have the room for it in my tiny 1 bedroom apartment. (for anyone who has visited me, you know how small it is). Thank-you so much everyone for the prayers and support.