About 40 residents and several staff members were displaced from Rosewood House, Brantford’s largest homeless shelter, after a fire there on Tuesday evening.
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Tim Philp, Rosewood’s executive director, said no one was injured in the fire, which he said started at a commercial gas stove in the kitchen of the facility on Nelson Street. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.
Philp said people were alerted to the blaze by the home’s fire alarms and all were evacuated within a couple minutes.
“Our fire escape plan worked perfectly. In less than two minutes, everyone was out, across the street and accounted for. Staff did a great job,” Philp said.
“The kitchen is a complete write-off. The rest of the building has smoke damage.”
Maria Visocchi, director of communications for the City of Brantford, said they were “grateful all were able to get out safely.”
Brantford Fire Chief Todd Binkley said firefighters were called at about 6:30 pm and “crews knocked the fire down quickly.” He estimated damage at $75,000. Philp believes the damage could be substantially higher.
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He said residents of the home spent the night at local motels. On Wednesday morning Philp was beginning the process of finding them meals and more permanent accommodation.
“There are a lot of complex pieces. I have to find a place for people to be fed and housed. It’s going to be a challenge.”
Philp said he is working with City of Brantford officials and local agencies, including the Salvation Army and SOAR Community Services, to set up a temporary homeless shelter, perhaps in a church basement or gymnasium.
By Wednesday afternoon, Philp said he had met with Rosewood’s insurance provider and had a possible couple leads on a temporary location.
Rosewood House began providing shelter services to the homeless in Brantford and Brant County in 2018, working with clients to develop programs that help them overcome the root causes of their homelessness. Philp said arrangements need to be made to continue those programs.
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Philp hopes clients being housed in motels will be there no more than a week. He said some clients are temporarily couch surfing and others are “unfortunately, choosing to sleep in Victoria Park.”
Philp said demolition of the kitchen at Rosewood is set to begin Thursday.
Rosewood staff are gathering clients’ belongings and arrangements will be made for them to be picked up.
Vicocchi said Rosewood is a contracted emergency shelter provider within the Coordinated Access System and all members of the system are working together to support the displaced residents.
“Together with SOAR Community Services Housing Resource Center, the city will remain in constant communication with Rosewood representatives to provide support as needed.”
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