Long lines and heated emotions for evacuated highrise residents
City said it could be months before people can return to 650 Parliament St.
Standing outside the St. James Town apartment building evacuated six days ago due to a fire, resident Valentina Masitch couldn’t hide her exasperation as she realized she may not get a chance to enter the building.
“I can’t take this anymore. I am frustrated,” she said, bursting into tears outside 650 Parliament St. on Monday afternoon.
Hundreds of her fellow residents had been lining up since the morning with the hopes of being escorted inside to retrieve their necessary belongings.
But the process was slow, and several interruptions made her fear her turn wouldn’t come in time.
“I’ve been standing on this line forever. I need my medications and my papers for my pension.”
Masitch and more than 1,500 other residents were forced to evacuate the building last week following a sixalarm fire. Many residents have been housed in hotels, while others are living with friends and family.
City officials said last week it could be months before repairs are completed and residents allowed back in the building.
On a hot, sticky and rainy day, people formed a long line outside the building alongside Parliament St. Residents had previously registered to be escorted inside by firefighters.
On Monday, hired security officers checked each one’s registration and then let groups of people, floor by floor, into the 23-storey building. There was one emergency elevator working for those who needed it.
Residents were given bottles of water. Ten portable toilets were also installed along the lines.
In early afternoon, tempers began to flare and chaos and confusion ensued after residents voiced concerns over being told to sign a waiver that stated they would be entering the building at their own risk and could not sue the property owners if something happens during the process. Angry residents started shouting that they would not sign the waiver, and that it was their human right to be allowed inside and be protected.
“This is stupid. We’re not fools,” said Aziz Laghrabli, who had been waiting in line all morning in the sweltering heat.
He said he has been inside twice last week, and had been taken out by emergency workers after experiencing breathing problems from the smoke inside. He had come back to pick up his laptop, some paperwork and clothes.
“It’s too dangerous in there,” he said, describing a lack of electricity and many items scattered around the hallways and stairs.
Amita Sharma, a resident who lives on the 17th floor, described the waiver as management’s way to avoid their responsibilities.
Doug Sartell, general manager of Wellesley-Parliament Square, which manages the building, later explained to residents the waiver was written and came into effect Sunday evening, after Toronto Fire issued a “closed order” for the building, informing owners the property was not secured or deemed safe yet.
Sartell said as residents still needed to get inside to collect their belongings, it was necessary for management to inform people of the situation. They can still go inside, but management is not liable for anything that may occur in that process, he said.
“You’re not waiving your rights to sue us if your stuff got spoiled, loss of income, loss of clothing, loss of anything,” he said. “This waiver is strictly and expressly for the entry into the building. We want to get you in safe, we want to get you out safe. If you decide you want to bring a 60-inch TV down the stairs, you slip and fall, OK, that’s on you.”
Lucy Troisi, councillor for Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale, said she has been checking in with the residents regularly. She said she understands the concern about the waiver that “came in at last minute,” and said she’d bring in legal aid staff to make sure residents understand what it’s about.
Ayda Abroufarakh With her mother visiting from Iran, she wanted to show her the best of Toronto. The fire incident forced them out of her 23rd floor apartment, and a nearby hotel didn’t want to house them “because I have two cats,” she said. She has since found a cheap motel in Brampton.
First priority when she was finally allowed back into her apartment Monday morning: the helmet for her motorbike. Then, it was a bunch of books and school material (she’s a third-year political science student at York University), toys for her cats and more clothes.
She packed all of it into her “uber bag” and, as she headed to her car with her belongings, she said she hopes things can return to normal soon.
“Everything smelled like smoke in there,” she said.
Neil Haggart The 84-year-old has lived in a two-bedroom apartment on the 17th floor for 38 years, and it took him “a long time” to get out of the building when the fire incident happened.
As he lined up Monday outside with a walking cane — bottle of water in hand — he regularly sat down in the shade under the apartments’ balcony.
He’s been staying at the Sher- aton hotel, and came back here with a list of things to get from his apartment: his shaving gear, a few jeans and anything else he can get out.
He praised firefighters and the mayor for their support during this ordeal, then added: “No help from the premier. It’s a shame.”
Aileen Saldua and her husband, Ernesto Tillo Tillo had to take a day off from his work at No Frills in order to come and collect things from the apartment for his family of five.
He has already been inside twice, and described it as “a zombie apocalypse scene. Very scary. It smells bad too.”
They had come to collect school uniforms and supplies for their older children, ages 7 and12. They also needed to grab their passports and other important documents, which were left behind in the chaos.
“We thought this was our last day coming here,” said Saldua, after they’d been waiting in line for more than three hours. They’re staying at the Marriott hotel, which his 7-year-old likes because “he thinks we’re on vacation,” said Saldua.
Lucy Maniquiz It’s been nearly a week since Maniquiz left her 17th floor apartment, and she was back on Monday hoping to get more clothes for herself and her 2year-old. But her frustration grew as she waited and the line didn’t seem to move.
“It looks like they have one person working at the table. This is ridiculous,” she said.
She said they had been told every fridge in the building had been emptied and every food item thrown away — and for her that meant some chicken, veggies, fruits, milk and baby food items.
“That is a lot of money lost,” she said.