Some families on North Vancouver Island are still without important necessities after a fire in Port Hardy.
Last Sunday, the C-block of the Town Park Apartments went up in flames, leaving more than 25 people homeless.
The town’s Chief Administrative Officer, Heather Nelson-Smith told our newsroom the displaced tenants have been given temporary shelter at the Kwa’lilas Hotel.
But while they have a place to stay, their personal belongings, were either destroyed or damaged because of the blaze and smoke.
That’s where Michelle Lau came in.
She owns and runs Port Hardy’s All In Family Support Services and following the fire, she immediately started a donation drive for clothes and food hampers, as well as furniture and household appliances.
After nearly a week since the blaze tore through the apartment complex, Lau told our newsroom she just doesn’t have enough room for any more donations.
Lau said she was able to fill her store with items for the residents, but because of COVID-19, she’s not sure when she can deliver them.
That means she might have to clean and disinfect everything before handing it out, or might have to wait even longer before being able to deliver the much-needed supplies.
She told us that for now, everything is on hold but is ready to be delivered.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation and we have reached out to the Port Hardy RCMP for further confirmation.
