Fire forces dozens of refugees out of homes
Syrian families will be put in hotels as search begins for new housing
About 50 Syrian refugees, one of whom was the victim of a pepperspray attack in January, are homeless after a fire tore through their Coquitlam apartment block late Thursday morning.
Resident Ahmed Shakh Mussa said he was awakened around 10:30 a.m. by someone banging on the door, telling him to leave the building.
He and dozens of others then watched as thick plumes of black smoke billowed from the roof of the only home they have ever known in Canada.
Many of the people cried as they watched the building burn, said Mariam Abadzid, who lives in another apartment block in the complex.
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said the fire was started by a plumber doing repair work in one of the suites. While the plumber suffered minor burns, no one else was injured, he said.
A total of about 200 people were evacuated from the building, Stewart added, but it was only the one block of about 12 units that was destroyed by the fire. It’s unclear when the other 150 residents will be able to return to their units.
Stewart described the residences as “tinder-dry, very old buildings.
“I’m astounded that the fire department could extinguish it and protect the other three sections (of the building).”
The refugee families were staying in the complex because Concert Properties, which is developing the site as a new highrise, offered up units in the existing 60-year-old building for refugees to stay in for their first year in Canada.
The displaced families went to an evacuation centre near the Poirier recreation centre, and will be put up in hotels for at least three nights by the city, Stewart said.
“After that, we’ll be looking for a longer-term solution. We’re trying to locate buildings in the same situation as this one, partly empty for whatever reason.”
The Immigrant Services Society of B.C., which was responsible for housing 1,564 governmentassisted Syrian refugees who have arrived in Metro Vancouver since November, will also be involved in finding replacement housing for those displaced by the fire, said Kathy Sherrell, associate director of settlement services.
But NDP MLA Selina Robinson said this will be a challenge because the housing complex the refugees were staying in was the last affordable housing complex in the area.
“There’s no place to go,” said Robinson, adding that there has been no recognition by either the provincial Liberals or the municipal government that “this precious rental stock was being eroded.
“There had been hundreds of affordable housing units in that area, but they’ve been coming down because of (new development along) the Evergreen (SkyTrain) Line.”
Stewart disputed Robinson’s assertions, saying the city is working with a number of organizations to identify housing options.
Stewart added: “This is about 12 (families) who lost everything in a fire. This isn’t the day for politics. This is the day to help solve their immediate needs and to console them through one more tragedy in their lives.”
Bilal Al Falovji, another Syrian refugee whose unit was destroyed, said the fire was the second-worst thing that had happened to him in Canada.
“The worst was the time I got (pepper) sprayed,” he said through a translator. But in Syria, he said: “I had worse experiences than this. The war, the bombing.”
All three of the Syrian evacuees interviewed by Postmedia expressed their gratitude to fire and police officials for saving their lives and helping them move on.
“We are very thankful because our kids and families are safe,” Al Falovji said.
B.C. Jobs Minister Shirley Bond, who is also the minister responsible for refugees, said in a statement that the government is engaged with local immigrant service providers “to ensure the search for new housing options is underway and these individuals are getting the support they need."