St. Thomas building that partially collapsed will be demolished: Official

Eight tenants displaced due to the partial collapse of an apartment building in St. Thomas won’t be returning to their homes.

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The four-unit apartment complex at 68 Hiawatha St. has been deemed too unsafe to repair and the building will be demolished, with the possessions of residents left inside, a St. Thomas fire department official said Friday.

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“Basically, it’s a matter of who’s going to demolish it,” chief fire prevention officer Kim Destun said. “It’s not something (where) they’re going to be able to save the building, it’s just a matter of who and how.”

The owner of the two-storey building that was built more than 60 years ago hasn’t been identified.

Tenants forced to flee Wednesday evening when metal started to break and windows crack won’t be able to recover their belongings because of the unpredictability of the building’s structural integrity.

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Kevin Ferneyhough, 37, said he’s struggling with leaving $15,000 to $20,000 of possessions behind and losing “20 years of stuff.”

“It feels like I’m in a goddamn movie. It’s all gone. I’m sitting here in a motel room with my 10-year-old nonverbal autistic son, (and) I don’t even know how to take it, how to process it,” Ferneyhough said. “I’m devastated, it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened in my life,” said the single father who lives with and cares for his son.

Ferneyhough said the “list is endless” of things he lost, but includes his and his son Jaycob’s entire wardrobes, furniture, a television and his son’s recent Christmas gifts.

The timing is especially hard for the 37-year-old, whose employment contract came to an end Sunday, mere days before the partial collapse of the building.

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“I literally just finished my seasonal contract with Dollarama, and then this happened,” he said.

The loss of his home has unsettled Ferneyhough, who said he doesn’t know what’s next for himself or Jaycob.

“I’m scared. I don’t know where I’m going to go,” he said. “I don’t know how to take it all in. You know, it’s a lot to deal with.”

Ferneyhough said he is trying to stay positive.

“It’s a lot harder to give up than it is to keep going, so I always press on, no matter how hard things get, but this is tough.”

Tenants have been moved temporarily to a motel in the city and are being helped by Victim Services Elgin. The agency could not be reached for comment Friday.

There was work being done on the building prior to its structure partially giving way, but Destun said the cause of the collapse was unknown.

St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston said despite the circumstances, he’s relieved no one was injured.

“I’m very pleased with the very quick response from our fire department,” he said. “And, ensuring nobody was hurt. That’s the best thing we can ask for.”

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@BrianWatLFPress

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