Skip to content

Letter: Thanks to all who made a very frightening situation much better

Dear Editor, On Thursday, there was a fire in our building at 6631 Minoru, Regency Park Towers B Tower (the middle one). It was on the 14th floor facing west. I was at home in my den and I heard the fire alarm.
Fire
A fire erupted in a Richmond complex unit around noon on Aug. 8.

Dear Editor,

On Thursday, there was a fire in our building at 6631 Minoru, Regency Park Towers B Tower (the middle one). It was on the 14th floor facing west. I was at home in my den and I heard the fire alarm. This was not a drill, so I took my purse, phone etc. and came (down) via the stairs to the ground floor. We went into the parking area on the north side of the building and looked up and saw the smoke coming out of one of the apartments. The smoke was grey, then black and then flames were pouring out.

The fire department arrived within five minutes of us coming outside. They proceeded to go up to the suite. Meanwhile, the windows were blown out and when the water was poured onto the fire, the steam (caused) the windows (to fly) about 10 feet or so! Windows shattered and fell to the second level where our pool was. There were six fire trucks and many police cars about.

I have to commend the Richmond Emergency Volunteers who arrived shortly after and accounted for the people in and out of the building. We have many older folks here, and the ones who could not come down were advised to stay in their suites as they were far from the mess.

Then, two transit busses arrived so people could sit in them, out of the heat ... very welcomed. About three hours later, a group of people arrived from across the street with flats of bottled water and Tim Horton's boxes filled with muffins and doughnuts. As the lady said (who is the GM of Richmond Centre) “from your neighbours across the street.”

What a lovely and welcome surprise.

So my kudos and thanks to all who made a very frightening situation much better. This is what we have in Richmond – lots of very good people who help each other.

THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL.

Maureen Otway

RICHMOND