'We are at capacity': Apartment fire causes major concern about growing homeless population

A major apartment fire in Chatham-Kent remains under investigation as officials continue working with nearly 100 displaced residents from the municipally owned building.

The fire took place at 99 McNaughton Ave. W. around 5:45 a.m. Sunday.

"It was a particularly difficult fire to fight because it was the upstairs apartment," said Chatham-Kent Fire Chief Chris Case. "It had broken into the roof. We had a common roof fight. So the crews on scene had to deploy both an interior and an exterior attack using an aerial ladder to try and prevent the spread. And even though, as you've seen from some of the pictures, it was quite a large fire."

Municipal officials said of the apartment complex’s 120 units, 90 were affected.

Case said an Emergency Operations Centre was established to deal with logistics around the event and to ensure accommodations for vulnerable populations could be arranged, noting there were no serious injuries reported.

"Most people got out on their own. Some had some mobility issues and were helped out by the firefighters and the paramedics and neighbours were helping each other. When the crews arrived on scene, everybody was working their way out of the building. Some were helped to safety, but there was no actual rescues. Everybody was able to get themselves out, which again, is a great thing in this situation," Case said.

Case noted Chatham-Kent police and the Office of the Fire Marshal were also assisting in the investigation, as municipal teams worked with residents on a plan for the immediate future.

Case stated, "The investigation teams have been very accommodating and realizing that we have a bigger issue than just the investigation. So everybody is working together to try and get this incident resolved as soon as possible."

"Our housing teams are working with all the residents…to try and come up with a plan of what's going to go on going forward, but it's very early days that this building is going to be out of commission. Some of it's going to be out of commission for some time. And right now there's a municipal emergency operations center that has been formed where we're trying to work through some of the issues, not just the people issues to support the community, but also how we're going to get the building back online as quickly as possible,” he explained.

Meantime, Hope Haven General Manager Loree Bailey said Sunday's fire was a major cause for concern, given the current state of homelessness across Chatham-Kent.

"There's no other word for it except a crisis," Bailey said. "I don't know how the city can manage anymore. I know I've talked to them. Rest assured the city staff are working crazy to try to get this managed so that people's lives are impacted as little as possible."

She continued, "Honest to God we are at capacity now, this is our busiest day."

Bailey noted 89 people had come through the downtown homeless shelter's doors so far by mid-day Monday, suggesting donations to any community agency that can help displaced residents are welcome as the gravity of the situation becomes clearer.

"Nobody has room. Nobody has space for this. It is concerning for me," Bailey told CTV News. "I know that people are being taken care of, I don't know how long. We'll be here and we'll do everything we can but I don't know what the plan is or what they're going to do."

She continued, "Homelessness is at an absolute high in this community and every community across the province. But something like this suddenly, overnight doesn't happen every day that we get 100 displaced people. So anything you can do to support people that are out here trying to make a difference, do it."

Those affected by the fire can contact the Homelessness Response line at 519-354-6628.