Ron Barkwell is glad he hasn’t had a drink.
As one of the residents displaced by the Aug. 25 fire at 99 McNaughton Ave. W. in Chatham, the 73 year old said the incident has triggered his life-long PTSD, but he’s managing.
“Moving from an isolated area to places you don’t know, that’s hard,” he added. “I haven’t had a drink, so that’s a good thing.”
Barkwell, who has lived at 99 McNaughton for 11 years, is currently being sheltered at the Wallaceburg Inn. Transportation is being provided by RideCK.
He said he watched the whole fire. A total of 126 residents in the 120-unit social housing complex were evacuated following the early morning blaze and will remain elsewhere in the short term.
As of Friday afternoon, municipal officials said they were continuing to assess the damage.
A 30-year-old Chatham woman has been arrested and charged with arson – disregard for human life.
Police are also looking for a second person in connection with the fire. Leonard Greason, 48, of Chatham is currently wanted by police to answer to the same charge. Greason is also known to frequent London.
From the preliminary findings of the multiple ongoing investigations, the building has been given an Order to Remedy Unsafe Building, meaning there cannot be occupancy until it is made safe through remediation and repair.
It appears it will take months of work before any residents are allowed back into the building, but officials stressed the timeline is unknown due to the various investigations that are still ongoing.
Residents are currently being housed in hotels throughout Chatham-Kent, but that will change, as officials said this is not a sustainable long-term solution.
Housing Services and Economic Development Services have been working with private landlords to secure longer-term solutions throughout the community as they become available.
The Canadian Red Cross has been contracted to establish an emergency shelter at the former St. Agnes School property, which the municipality recently purchased from Indwell. The sale had not gone through as of yet, but municipal officials said the non-profit organization agreed to allow the municipality to use in the event that short-term hotels are no longer available. They will also work to facilitate food delivery to those displaced.
Barkwell said he thought he’d be back home after a couple of days but because the electricity to the housing complex is shut off, no one was allowed inside the municipally owned housing complex.
However, he said he’s grateful for the help from the community, the municipality and various agencies.
“The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, housing services and emergency services have all been great,” Barkwell said. “They’ve taken good care of us.”
Chatham-Kent Fire & Rescue has co-ordinated efforts so that some residents were able to visit their units to retrieve personal belongings and medication.
The fire has sparked a wave of support from the community, with numerous businesses opening their doors for donations. As well, Chatham Retirement Resort partnered with the municipality to accommodate at least 10 displaced seniors.
Eric Labadie, C-K’s head of corporate communications, commended multiple municipal teams and community volunteers and groups that have stepped up to assist the effort.
“It’s nice to see,” said Labadie. “It’s ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak and devastating situation.”
