Man loses leaning house and most of its contents
A house in The Junction that started leaning after basement renovations went awry this week was demolished on Friday with the homeowners’ belongings still inside.
The two-storey brick house at 63 Maria St., near Dundas Street West and Runnymede Road, tilted to the right when contractors were digging out the basement at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. It kept tipping through the evening, until it finally stopped about an inch from the neighbour’s wall.
The house was too unstable to permit the owner, Daniel Romistrowicz, to go back inside to collect his belongings. However, the demolition crew worked with the owner to help him retrieve some of his most important items as the walls came down.
A big claw ripped the home apart one piece at a time, but was also able to pick up a filing cabinet. Although the cabinet was damaged, the contents were not. Mr. Romistrowicz, who declined to speak with media, was also able to get his computer and backpack.
Neighbours said he has a wife and baby in Germany.
It is not known if the basement contractor, FBR Waterproofing, is insured. Representatives of the company refused to talk to media.
Workers had been underpinning in the basement — a process to replace or support the foundation that is usually done when the basement floor is being lowered — said Mark Sraga, deputy chief building official and director of Toronto Building.
Neighbours on either side of the house were forced to evacuate because their gas and hydro connections were turned off as a safety precaution.
Anthony Gatt, 86, and his wife Connie, 83, whose home the house was tipping toward, are worried their own foundation may have been affected by the incident. For now, they have moved into Mrs. Gatt’s sister’s home, five houses down.
During demolition, much of the debris fell into their backyard. Mr. Gatt’s daughter, Joanne Hocking, 44, said the outdoor hydro connection box is now missing and the air conditioner is damaged and covered in rubble.
Work crews will not return till Tuesday and it may be another week before the neighbours can move back home. Ms. Hocking said her parents’ insurance company is paying to repair the damages, as well as for the food that was left to rot in two fridges and a freezer when the power was cut.