235 Gosford Blvd Fire
Donation protected
good day,
First I would like to thank our local fire department and police for assisting all of the residents escaping the fire safely. Thank you to our community residence for the for the clothes you brought to the Driftwood community centre yesterday. Thank you all for coming to our Aid to a place where we call home last night during such an ordeal.
My family and I are safe, however, we are uncertain about our living situation and future. I live on the 12 floor where our unit was not affected by the fire but by smoke.
We were home at the time of the fire, I was in the living room with my family watching television. We heard the alarm but for some reason we thought it was some one who pulled the alarm because over the years of living here kids tamper with alarm, or system glitch. It was about 2 minutes later I went to use the washroom. I heard a smoke detector and then I told my husband its a real fire, we have to go. My 5 year old daughter was ready and my husband. I grabbed our passports and put on our winter gears and started to head out. By the time we open our door. The smoke was so bad that I could hardly see. I started screaming to my husband we can't go downstairs because I could hardly breathe. I ran back in to get a wet cloth for my daughter. Then we started heading down the stairs. we got to the tenth floor and the smoke was so unbearable we had to divert and go back up the stairs to our unit.
I was coughing, weezing, my husband was frustrated because he didn't know if we are going to make it, I was scared, but my daughter was calm. She told me she did fire drill at school . I gotta say she handled her self very well. We went on our balcony and we heard people screaming, crying, others on the ground were advising the residents closest to the fire to Jump. It was like watching Titanic and hear the people screaming. I have a neighbour 2 doors down where her balcony is facing on Gosford where there was no fire, we had to run over to her unit to stay safe until the fire department come and get us. There was smoke in the unit a lot but we wet a few towels and place at the door and open the balcony so the smoke can air out. At this time it was just a waiting game for us of uncertainty. The fire department kept updating us every 45 minutes to stay in if we are in a safe place. If we were in any imminent danger to call 911 and they will come and get us.
They kept reporting that every few minutes. I am lucky to say we were safe at that moment since we went to our neighbours unit who is a senior whom lives alone. About another few minutes later the fire fighters banged on the door and advise us to stay in. They wrote number 5 on the door because there were five people inside. At around 11 pm they came to tell us we have to evacuate and the smoke was now cleared from the stair case. We headed down, we were able to take our cat and gather a suite of clothes and pack in small bag. Others were not so lucky. I do not know the tenant that perished if the fire but I have however friends that lost everything.
A lady who have nothing left, she have a 19 months old daughter and her 17 year old son. Her unit was gravely affected because she lives on the 9th floor at 908. Her unit was gutted by the fire. She does not have tenants insurance. She have nothing with her. She need all the help that she can get.
This whole ordeal affected us all. There are people who have nothing that we are going to Driftwood Community Center at the Red Cross post to get food, clothing and warm place to sleep. This could have been worse. I am grateful to the fire department for helping us by saving as many people as they can. My daughter have friends that she was asking about. I called every one I know to see if they are safe and also let them know we are accounted for. Now we are in limbo. we have no home, clothes, we know nothing. For now we are barred from going to gather clothes. There are people without medication, cpap machine like my husband. I don't know what to do moving forward.
My at first the night of the fire leading to yesterday Saturday I was very strong but last night when I am not sleeping in my bed wearing my clothes, not knowing what's next. I broke down in tears. My mental health right now is unstable. The only thing keeping me sane is that I have my family with me. I am alive, we are safe, that is all that matters. I keep taking deep breaths to remember the key important thing we are alive. We are currently at a hotel but for how long will my $1000 credit card will be at the end. 2 more nights. I am worried. please can anyone out there help us. I am not writing the for my family alone, there are other like me. There is Samantha from Unit 908 that have nothing, I have a my senior neighbour, my neighbour next door. My other friend who lost everything in 708.
What is so important to me at this time, during this disaster our community come together, because at the end of the day we all love each other. and we are strong, safe and loved. Thank you to the residents who brought us food Saturday morning.
Please help us all. Wee need your help.
Kayonne
First I would like to thank our local fire department and police for assisting all of the residents escaping the fire safely. Thank you to our community residence for the for the clothes you brought to the Driftwood community centre yesterday. Thank you all for coming to our Aid to a place where we call home last night during such an ordeal.
My family and I are safe, however, we are uncertain about our living situation and future. I live on the 12 floor where our unit was not affected by the fire but by smoke.
We were home at the time of the fire, I was in the living room with my family watching television. We heard the alarm but for some reason we thought it was some one who pulled the alarm because over the years of living here kids tamper with alarm, or system glitch. It was about 2 minutes later I went to use the washroom. I heard a smoke detector and then I told my husband its a real fire, we have to go. My 5 year old daughter was ready and my husband. I grabbed our passports and put on our winter gears and started to head out. By the time we open our door. The smoke was so bad that I could hardly see. I started screaming to my husband we can't go downstairs because I could hardly breathe. I ran back in to get a wet cloth for my daughter. Then we started heading down the stairs. we got to the tenth floor and the smoke was so unbearable we had to divert and go back up the stairs to our unit.
I was coughing, weezing, my husband was frustrated because he didn't know if we are going to make it, I was scared, but my daughter was calm. She told me she did fire drill at school . I gotta say she handled her self very well. We went on our balcony and we heard people screaming, crying, others on the ground were advising the residents closest to the fire to Jump. It was like watching Titanic and hear the people screaming. I have a neighbour 2 doors down where her balcony is facing on Gosford where there was no fire, we had to run over to her unit to stay safe until the fire department come and get us. There was smoke in the unit a lot but we wet a few towels and place at the door and open the balcony so the smoke can air out. At this time it was just a waiting game for us of uncertainty. The fire department kept updating us every 45 minutes to stay in if we are in a safe place. If we were in any imminent danger to call 911 and they will come and get us.
They kept reporting that every few minutes. I am lucky to say we were safe at that moment since we went to our neighbours unit who is a senior whom lives alone. About another few minutes later the fire fighters banged on the door and advise us to stay in. They wrote number 5 on the door because there were five people inside. At around 11 pm they came to tell us we have to evacuate and the smoke was now cleared from the stair case. We headed down, we were able to take our cat and gather a suite of clothes and pack in small bag. Others were not so lucky. I do not know the tenant that perished if the fire but I have however friends that lost everything.
A lady who have nothing left, she have a 19 months old daughter and her 17 year old son. Her unit was gravely affected because she lives on the 9th floor at 908. Her unit was gutted by the fire. She does not have tenants insurance. She have nothing with her. She need all the help that she can get.
This whole ordeal affected us all. There are people who have nothing that we are going to Driftwood Community Center at the Red Cross post to get food, clothing and warm place to sleep. This could have been worse. I am grateful to the fire department for helping us by saving as many people as they can. My daughter have friends that she was asking about. I called every one I know to see if they are safe and also let them know we are accounted for. Now we are in limbo. we have no home, clothes, we know nothing. For now we are barred from going to gather clothes. There are people without medication, cpap machine like my husband. I don't know what to do moving forward.
My at first the night of the fire leading to yesterday Saturday I was very strong but last night when I am not sleeping in my bed wearing my clothes, not knowing what's next. I broke down in tears. My mental health right now is unstable. The only thing keeping me sane is that I have my family with me. I am alive, we are safe, that is all that matters. I keep taking deep breaths to remember the key important thing we are alive. We are currently at a hotel but for how long will my $1000 credit card will be at the end. 2 more nights. I am worried. please can anyone out there help us. I am not writing the for my family alone, there are other like me. There is Samantha from Unit 908 that have nothing, I have a my senior neighbour, my neighbour next door. My other friend who lost everything in 708.
What is so important to me at this time, during this disaster our community come together, because at the end of the day we all love each other. and we are strong, safe and loved. Thank you to the residents who brought us food Saturday morning.
Please help us all. Wee need your help.
Kayonne
Organizer
Kayonne Saunders
Organizer
North York, ON