'We just lost everything': Quail Ridge Apartment residents trying to restart after fire
Several Winnipeg families are looking to rebuild their lives after an apartment fire Friday evening left them with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Quail Ridge Apartment Homes in the St. James area is considered a complete loss after a blaze ripped through the building. Up to 180 people called the apartment complex home and are now left with nothing.
"We just lost everything on Friday. We don't have home insurance. We ran a home business. It ruined everything for us," said Kim Laviolette, who lived on the second floor.
Tenants like Laviolette and Matthew Hicks have been told by the complex's management that everything in their suites and more than 40 others is likely gone.
"We've been having false alarm after false alarm and my wife was thinking maybe this was just another false alarm," said Hicks.
"Your belongings are gone. Everything's gone because of water damage and fire damage."
Several people who lived in the building told CTV News they didn't have tenants insurance and are now staying with family, relying on donated food, money and clothing.
The Canadian Red Cross was dispatched to help. Around 20 people were given meals and a hotel to stay in, while others who had a place to stay were also given food.
The Red Cross' agreement with the city is to support people for the first 72 hours after a disaster and it says in this case, at the request of the city, the support has been extended for some families.
The city says the cause of the fire is still under investigation and the building has been turned over to management, who would now be working with their insurers.
CTV News Winnipeg has reached to the management company for comment but has yet to hear back. Former residents said they're hoping to get in this week for a few hours to see if anything is salvageable, but the building needs to be deemed safe before they are allowed to go in.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Archeologists search for remnants of Halifax's 250-year-old wall that surrounded the city
Archeologist Jonathan Fowler is using ground-penetrating radar to search for historic evidence of the massive wall that surrounded Halifax more than 250 years ago.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
'Deeply unhappy' grocery shoppers plan to boycott Loblaw-owned stores in May
A boycott targeting Loblaw is gaining momentum online, with what could be thousands of shoppers taking their money elsewhere in May.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
Anne Hathaway reveals she's now five years sober
Anne Hathaway first shared she lost interest in drinking after a bad hangover in 2018. She’s now five years sober.
3 law officers serving warrant are killed, 5 wounded in shootout at North Carolina home, police say
Three officers on a U.S. Marshals Task Force serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded in a shootout Monday at a North Carolina home, police said.