Fire Marshall evacuates 50 people from building in disrepair

Cole Crescent residents who are being evacuated from an unsafe building are pointing to prolonged building repairs. Owner says neighbouring building is in as bad shape, and people who are leaving are worried about the future and about leaving their belongings behind.

Tenants of an apartment complex on Cole Crescent say that building repairs dragged on for years, and that the sudden evacuation of all the building’s tenants by the Fire Marshall has caused a lot of stress.

Today the Fire Marshall informed Tenants of 15 Cole Crescent that they had 4 hours to move out because the building was deemed unsafe because  violation of fire regulations. The building is home to over 50 people, and is in a state of disrepair with multiple renovation jobs in progress as witnessed by MO))) reporter Jim O’Neill.

Tenants stood outside the building while a Red Cross worker told them that they would all be given hotel lodging for one night only.  In the next breath the worker said that some people affected by the flood in the Fredericton area this spring are still being lodged in hotels.

Miramichi MLA was present at the Golden Hawk recreation complex, not far from the apartment building as it prepared to house displaced people form the night.  Conroy said she had been in touch with the office of Dorothy Sheppard, Minister of Social Development, who said they were actively seeking loner term arrangements for displaced people.

One man in a telephone interview with MO))) said “This is terrible.”  The man who wished to remain anonymous, said he moved to the building two years ago, and at the time it was meant to only be a temporary situation as he and his wife were looking for something more suitable.

He said he was home when he got the news, but his wife was at work and would not be getting off until after the deadline to leave had passed.

“She’s stressed out at work, I’m surprised she can work at all.”  meanwhile, the man says he has to try to figure out what to take with them, and what to leave behind.  His wife will be allowed to enter the building when she gets off work, but he said she will be escorted in by security.

The man was asked if he was aware previously of any problems with the building in regards to fire safety.  He said there were hanging wires, missing walls, garbage in the hallways and fire doors that did not close properly.  He said the renovations had been going on there since he moved in 2 years ago.

MO))) spoke with the man later in the evening and he confirmed he and his wife were given lodging for the night, no meals, and were told to bring belongings with them for 72 hours.  He said when he left the building there were people outside with piles of their belongings waiting to find out where they would be going.

Other people who gathered to hear what the Red Cross had to say were willing to talk about the history of the building, and one man took O’Neill on a tour of the building.

“It’s a fire trap,” one person said.  “There was a fire a few years ago, and Brian never fixed it.  There are wires hanging everywhere.” In 2012 the Miramichi Fire Department reported a fire in the complex next door that was isolated to one apartment in the building, but forced the evacuation of thirty people at the time. (LINK)

One man outside said the building owner, Brian Grosseth, hired people to do the repairs, but in the man’s estimation the people who were hired “didn’t know  a screwdriver from a hammer”.

During the tour of the building O’Neill noted the hanging wires, the fire doors in disrepair, locks on the outside of apartment units, and large walls under repair.  There was also a hallway on one of the floors that had a large collection of surplus furniture that was free for the taking. In the basement was a lounge area with a pool table.  The building had once been a residence for Air Force officers.

“You could eat off the floors here 5 years ago,” one man said.  “Now, where are you gonna find a place to live in Miramichi that’s less than $1000 a month when your cheque is only $600 a month.”

Behind the building was a heap of scrounged wood, and next door is a building that is almost identical, except the tenants are not being evacuated.

During the tour O’Neill met Grosseth.  Grosseth said he was trying to go over the Fire Marshall’s head, and felt he acted unreasonably.

“This guy’s an asshole,” said Grosseth.  “But Skyway across the way, it’s a dump and they pass it.”  Grosseth said he contacted Global news about the situation.

Between Skyway Lodge and Grosseth’s building people were mustering to find out what was going to happen to them.

“O my God,” one woman exclaimed.  “They treat us just like animals. This is the last thing I wanted to hear.  Nobody is happy about this.

The Red Cross attendant asked people to be patient and give their contact information so they would be on a list and be reachable.  They were informed that even if they were able to go stay at a friend’s place in the short term, they would still be eligible for Red Cross aid if the situation lasted langer.

The man who was interviewed by phone expressed concern about leaving his belongings behind in the building.

“There are people who live around here who know how to get in and out of this building, through unlocked windows and stuff,” he said.  “I’m nervous to leave my stuff behind.”

The man went on to describe the scene when he was leaving:  “Two ladies from Social Development were there, the MLA for Miramichi, a padre, one guy from the red Cross, the police, and a couple of guys from the Fire department.  The ambulance came and the paramedics had to tend to one of the residents who collapsed on the ground in disbelief and was having a hard time to breathe.    Sad faces all around, full of stress and disbelief.  The owner of the building was frantically trying to drum up some contractors to come fix the supposed fire code deficiencies.”

The man said he hopes the evacuation was a last resort, and not some over anxious fire inspector thumping his chest.

Michelle Conroy told O’Neill she spoke with MPF Sargent Bob Bruce who said the building owner would be on site all night, and that police would be making patrols there to keep the property secure.