'Situation is dire': 22 men displaced after fire at drug addiction treatment centre
An early morning fire impacted close to two dozen men that were being housed at the Launch Pad Recovery Centre on Ouellette Avenue.
Officials with the drug addiction treatment centre said all 22 clients were accounted for and are currently staying at another Launch Pad recovery home on Dougall Avenue.
"If we can get the help, it would be appreciated. Our hands are tied," said manager Matt Prell.
"The situation is dire right now, but, we see hope. We believe that God will help us."
Prell explained most of the men that are part of LPRC programs come from the Ontario penal system, hoping to improve their lives.
"Most of the men here are standing on solid rock right now. They're good," Prell said. "We're a Christian based center and we have a lot of community support with the churches and the Christian men's groups that that help us."
"But we're going to need some help," he noted. "This is tough. Our hands are full. It's exhausting. But we do have faith in God. We believe that he will provide. And, we're asking the community for their help."
Supervisor Damion Lavanious told CTV News, "We're short on food. We're short on clothing. Everybody lost everything. So you got guys that are a year in recovery. You got guys that are 30 days into recovery. They accumulated all these things and now it's all wiped away. And that's disheartening."
Lavanious continued, "We need the community to come together. We need toiletries. We need food. We need men's clothing, men's shoes and you know, any type of gift cards for grocery stores and prayer. Just prayer is enough. Just give us thoughts. Just let people know that there's a need and we need to meet that need right now."
Officials with Windsor Fire and Rescue said one person was taken to hospital and that the Office of the Fire Marshall was called in to assist with the investigation, which also has Windsor police assistance.
LPRC president John Button stated, "Today is going to be one of those days where we're going to thank God that we're all still alive and we're on a mission to figure out what we're going to do next."
Button added, "Things can come our way and come against us. But as long as we stay in the structure of what we're doing, these guys are going to make it."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Rescuers race to free people trapped by Hurricane Helene after storm kills at least 40 in 4 states
Hurricane Helene left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the entire southeastern U.S. on Friday, killing at least 40 people in four states, snapping towering oaks like twigs, tearing apart homes and sending rescue crews on desperate missions to save people from floodwaters.
U.S. fines Air Canada over flights over prohibited Iraqi airspace
The U.S. Department of Transportation said Friday it had fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights in 2022 and 2023 in prohibited Iraqi airspace.
P.E.I. shellfish festival gastrointestinal illness outbreak largest in province's history: health officer
More than 550 symptomatic people responded to an online questionnaire about a gastrointestinal illness at a Prince Edward Island shellfish festival last weekend.
BREAKING Israeli airstrikes hit the southern suburbs of Beirut after another strike destroyed buildings
The Israeli military struck Hezbollah's headquarters in Beirut on Friday in a series of massive explosions that targeted the leader of the militant group and levelled multiple high-rise apartment buildings.
Killer who stabbed victim 'at least 52 times' dies in B.C. prison
A 72-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for a brutal murder that happened in Chilliwack in 2016 has died, according to the Correctional Service of Canada.
Former military reservist sentenced for shotgun video calling Liberal MP a 'communist agent' for China
A former Canadian military reservist has been sentenced to house arrest after posting a video of himself firing a shotgun at a picture of a member of Parliament whom he accused of being a "communist agent" for China.
Canada booking seats on flights out of Lebanon as violence escalates
Global Affairs Canada is booking blocks of seats on some commercial flights leaving Lebanon to help Canadians who are trying to flee as Israeli strikes escalated today.
Family of man who died in incident involving Calgary police issues statement
The family of Jon Wells, a man who died in an incident involving Calgary police earlier this month, say they are seeking time to grieve their loss.
Bloc opposition day next week, but 'no point' in tabling confidence motion yet, deputy House leader says
The sole Bloc Québécois opposition day before the winter break has been scheduled, but the party's Deputy House Leader says there is 'no point' in using it to put forward a non-confidence motion against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.