London

Squalid Conditions Inside Illegal Group Home

Residents are being allowed back inside an illegal group home to get personal items after fire ripped through the building Monday, killing one.

The blaze broke out around noon on Monday. Two people were taken to hospital. One later died, but his identity has not been released.

An organization called People Helping People provided shelter, food and medication for the disabled and mentally ill.

Several tenants are cramped into each unit, many of them infested with cockroaches and bed bugs. Cigarette butts can be seen lining the hallways and on the floors of many of the units.

The city had issued an order to bring the property up to code with a compliance date of February 2015, after it was determined the building was being used as an illegal group home.

Since the fire, no one will be allowed to return to the building until the owner brings it up to code and it operates as an apartment building.

Lance Gilbert lived in a two-bedroom unit in the basement with a communal kitchen. On the fridge in the kitchen is a sign that reads "1 and 1/2 chicken fingers and 1 fish stick each person." He pays $850 a month for rent and meals.

"Half the time it's not enough food in here. I go out and buy my own food from the grocery store a lot of times," says Gilbert, who relies on methadone and $1,000 a month from Ontario Disability Support Program. "I've dealt with a lot of things in the past with living here. They are small rooms, bugs, it's stressful."

The fire department had made several visits to 1451 Oxford St. E in the past and installed working smoke alarms in each unit.

It is unclear if any charges will be laid against the owner, but fire officials tell BlackburnNews.com they are visiting all the properties run by People Helping People.

Nearly 30 people have been displaced as a result of the fire. They are all being cared for by the Salvation Army for the time being.



















































 

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