'It makes me feel homeless': Dozens of residents still displaced after Glengarry Avenue apartment fire

Windsor fire officials say three of eight floors in Wheelton Manor, on Glengarry Avenue, are uninhabitable after a seventh-floor blaze last Friday forced the evacuation of the apartment.

“It was a ton of activity. Our resources were stretched to the max that day,” said Windsor’s chief fire prevention officer Mike Coste.

Four residents suffered smoke inhalation and one firefighter suffered a lower body injury in the fire. All but the firefighter have since been released from hospital.

On Monday, efforts were focused on getting residents back into the building.

“They are working around the clock to get the fire floor cleaned up,” said Coste. “It's going to be a while. It's not going to be overnight.”

Residents from floors one through five, along with some who live on the sixth floor, were allowed back into their rooms Monday.

Power is still out on floors seven and eight, Coste said.

“As for the unit above the fire and the unit below the fire, we're not allowing them in yet because they're not fire safe and not safe for the residents,” said Coste.

That’s been tough on Gary Karagiozian who lives in the unit directly below where the fire occurred.

“It makes me feel homeless all of a sudden. I had an apartment here and now I can't get into my apartment,” said Karagiozian.

About 50 displaced residents were offered emergency lodgings at the WFCU Centre. Karagiozian doesn’t believe that’s good enough.

“I don't expect to be living in a gymnasium or anything like that,” he said, regarding the emergency shelter.

He tells CTV News he’s incurred $400 of hotel expenses since the fire. With little information about when he could return, he adds that bill could rack up quickly.

“I would expect that I, at least, have a hotel room until they correct that room,” he said.

The fire Marshall has completed its investigation and results are expected to be available soon.

Coste says fire, smoke and water damage to the building, and its contents, will result in more than $1,000,000 in losses.

He added the primary reason the remaining displaced residents are being kept out is due to concerns over the condition of the concrete structure.

“It took a lot of heat. So we want to make sure it's safe because we want to make sure the building is structurally safe and the fire-life safety systems are all in place,” he said.

The city is expected to provide an update for residents Tuesday morning.