Edge 2 residents faced fire, thefts and insurance hassles

Some of the Edge on Edge 2 fire victims were targets of theft after the fire, while others have been frustrated by the process of making their individual insurance claims.

But Dave Clark, the strata council president for the 73-unit building, said the worst is over for most of those left homeless after the June 9 fire. The four-storey apartment building was badly damaged when it caught fire after the latest MacLean Homes project, neighbouring Edge 3, caught fire while still under construction.

READ ALSO: Maple Ridge residents face uncertain future after fire

Clark noted that some residents reported items having been stolen – one woman posted on social media that a dresser containing valuable documents and jewelry went missing. Clark said the thefts were reported to the RCMP, and a file was opened. Also, two contractors involved at the site have done their own internal investigation.

However, he said a security fence was quickly put in place, and security guards were posted to prevent any unauthorized entry. Now there is a video surveillance system, and the contents of the units have been removed.

There were also resident complaints on social media about high fees being charged for handling contents.

Clark can sympathize. He was initially shocked to hear he would be charged more than $10,000 for an insurer to handle his apartment contents. However, that would have been the price to remove the contents, store them for two years, and then return them to the repaired building. In his case, 90 per cent of his contents turned out to be “trashed.” Each unit’s residents dealt with their own situations.

“The individual insurance companies were not at all helpful,” assessed Clark, noting there are as many as 73 different adjusters involved, each with differing opinions and requirements.

“There has been a great deal of confusion,” he said.

He noted that Fraser Property Management, which managed the building, has set up a portal all owners can access, and get information they can trust, with regular updates.

The company that insured the building has also “stepped up and taken the lead,” he said.

The loss of his contents was a devastating finding for the senior. He hoped for better, given that his apartment is on the west side of the building, on the ground floor, opposite the fire-ravaged east side. But Clark explained that firefighters poured pools full of water on the blaze, and it washed into the lower part of the building.

When he walked into his unit 10 days after the fire, “I’m still going ‘squish, squish, squish’ on the floor.” The walls were about 50 per cent covered in mould, and there was a terrible odour.

His mouldy home was another tough scene to look at.

Clark remembers when he evacuated on the night of the fire, and looking over at Edge 3.

“I could not see any part of the structure. All I could see was flame – it was a fireball. And my hair was starting to singe.”

He said there was early talk among residents that might get back in their building that night, and still catch a few hours sleep. Then they saw the fire spread to their building.

“I left. I couldn’t stand to watch it.”

After that devastating night, their first priority was finding a place to live. Then they got their vehicles out of underground parking, which had filled with about nine inches of water, but did not damage the automobiles. And then they dealt with the frustrations of unit contents and insurance claims.

Now it’s one step in front of the other, and Clark is confident of the future.

There are weekly meetings with some 14 people, including builders, engineers, and other stakeholders. Early on, they decided to repair instead of tearing down the building and rebuilding it. The saving was approximately $1 million, on an $18 to $20 million project. But the time frame to repair is two years, instead of about four for a complete rebuild. He said various insurers would likely not cover people’s rent for four years of rebuilding.

A retired engineer himself, Clark is confident the building can be fully restored.

“The actual work on the building itself is going well,” he said.

Contractors are getting rid of all fire damage from the building, before starting to rebuild.

“They’re a dentist, removing a cavity,” Clark explained. “There cannot be a single whiff of fire or mould.”

They’ve already ordered elevator parts, so they won’t be delayed by supply chain issues a year from now.

Their goal is to brace the structure and get a roof over the building by November.

”We’ve got a good team – these guys know what they’re doing.”

Clark feels good about the plan, and believes most residents do.

“Three people, within the first week, said ‘No way I’m going back.’ And they’re all going back.”

He expects they will move back in during the spring of 2025.

Coming through the ordeal, Clark has a word of advice for other condo owners: “Make sure you’ve got lots of insurance. You would be surprised what your contents are actually worth.”

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