Residents displaced by an Oct. 11 fire at Agnes Court in New Westminster say they are still trying to recover.
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More support is still needed for residents displaced by an apartment fire at Agnes Court in New Westminster, which broke out in the early hours of Oct. 11.
The fire started on a third-floor balcony at the downtown building, with about 50 of the 24 units’ tenants forced to leave after crews responded to the blaze around 3 a.m.
Angela Rondeau said she and her partner have been rebuilding from scratch since the fire, after escaping with only the clothes on their back and one of their cats.
Rondeau said her black cat, Joey, remained in the apartment for 11 days before being found by the Scent Rescue Team, a volunteer group that uses scent-tracking dogs to locate missing pets.
While residents are anxious to return to salvage belongings, New West Neighbourhood House says access remains restricted.
Mary Trentadue, the executive director of the non-profit, said none of the residents are currently allowed in the building, adding that renovation crews are starting to go in and take a look, but she does not expect residents will be able to return any time soon.
The organization has been assisting with donation efforts for residents impacted by both the Agnes Court fire and the Pinecrest Manor fire in July.
Trentadue said while funds were raised for Pinecrest Manor, the community outreach for Agnes Court has not been as visible, and that gift cards and direct funds are among the most helpful types of support.
She said people can get involved by heading to the New West Neighbourhood House website.
The cause of the Agnes Court fire remains under investigation.
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