What’s next at Water’s Edge?
Image: Jesse Schulze
More than 130 people are searching for a home after being evacuated from their condos Saturday.
Residents discovered it could be months to years before they return to their units.
The Water’s Edge North building that was under construction is completely burnt leaving behind just a pile of debris and an elevator shaft. Behind it, was a second building that has sustained severe damage.
A large blaze, which was witnessed by many people living in Kelowna, was started by a construction worker working on a roof around 11:30 a.m.
“They will be displaced for an indefinite amount of time,” said building strata president George Mapson.
Out of the 65 units, seven are completely destroyed.
“It is obvious that there are seven or eight units totalled, thirty per cent of the units at this end of the building will have to be demolished,” he said. “This is an accident that was entirely preventable,”
London Drugs donated amenity pacts to the residents, Starbucks in the Mission donated coffee for a meeting and Willow Park Church has provided support to those evacuated.
“It’s very difficult to find accommodations in Kelowna in the summer time. If there are properly development managers or stratas that are empty … we are looking for support in finding places for people.
Most of the individuals living at the building were seniors, according to Mapson.
“Nobody is getting back into the building until the City of Kelowna, the civil engineers, fire suppression people give permission,” he said. “It could be up to months to years.”
Mapson said if anyone in the community has condos, houses, short-term or long-term accommodations to contact him at [email protected]
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