Gladstone rallies to support residents impacted by fire

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This article was published 26/12/2022 (632 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Carolyn Houle was settling her four-month-old daughter back to sleep inside her Gladstone apartment, when a fire alarm sounded early Christmas Day.

Smoke was starting to fill the building when she escaped the deadly fire with her two children, including a five-year-old son, and boyfriend around 1:30 a.m.

“We just grabbed our kids, bundled them up in blankets and ran outside,” Houle said in a phone interview Tuesday, while the site continue to smoulder.

One man is dead and about 20 residents have been displaced by the fire, which destroyed a hotel and a neighbouring apartment building, said Daryl Shipman, mayor of the Rural Municipality of WestLake-Gladstone.

In addition to a bar, beer vendor and restaurant, the two-storey Gladstone Hotel contained two apartments and eight guest rooms for rent, said co-owner Vinai Stephen, who took over the venue May 1.

The blaze damaged a third attached building, known as the Galloway Building, which contains apartments. That building was saved by a firewall, said Shipman, noting the extent of its damage is unclear.

Some residents were away for the holidays when the fire started, the mayor added. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. It appears foul play isn’t suspected, said Shipman.

The man who died lived in the apartment building adjacent to the hotel, according to Gladstone residents. His name has not yet been released, with formal identification still taking place. His brother declined to comment Tuesday.

Stephen said the fire started in a suite in the apartment building next to the hotel.

His business partner, an employee and a friend escaped the hotel without injury. Stephen lived in a room at the hotel, but was in Winnipeg for Christmas Eve Mass.

“It’s devastating,” he said. “We just started, and we were doing really good. The community was really supporting us.”

Stephen thanked the volunteer firefighters who responded from Gladstone, Plumas and Neepawa, and have spent many hours on scene — rather than with their families — since Christmas Day.

As they wait for insurance coverage to kick in, Stephen said he and his business partner will consider building a new hotel in Gladstone.

Residents of the town, about 130 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, are rallying around Stephen, Houle and others who lost their homes and possessions.

After the alarm went off and they rushed outside into -23 C weather, Houle, her boyfriend and their children initially took refuge inside the entrance of the Galloway Building.

She then went back inside their apartment to let their pet cat out and grab snowsuits for her children and car keys. “It was so cold. My kids were crying,” said Houle.

She is thankful they made it out of the building, which was later levelled.

“It was very scary — heartbreaking, especially with young children,” said Houle, who moved into her suite about a year ago.

Her cat is missing, but residents have told her they’ve seen it in the area since the fire.

Houle said she grateful for the support of residents, family and friends, who’ve donated baby formula, food, clothing, money and other items. “It’s amazing, honestly. I never expected so much support, so much help.”

A number of initiatives are underway to help raise funds and find shelter and other essentials for displaced residents.

Shipman said community organizations have been invited to a special council meeting Wednesday to help streamline efforts and identify the kind of support needed.

“We need to find out what (the residents’) needs are before, as a group, we start collecting stuff we don’t require,” he said. “The community is really coming on board. Everyone is really concerned and wants to help.

“The community is strong. We’ll persevere.”

With limited housing stock, the biggest challenge is finding lodging in the town of about 930 people, according to Shipman.

Many, like Houle and her family, are staying with relatives for the time being. She is hoping to remain in Gladstone, where her son attends school.

Stephen has been staying with friends.

“We don’t want to lose residents of the town,” the mayor said.

The hotel’s bar served as a gathering place for residents of Gladstone and surrounding communities. It regularly hosted events, including performances by Manitoba bands.

Stephen said a lot of customers had been regulars since they were in their teens.

The hotel building was initially constructed as a store. Stephen and Shipman said it was built in the 1800s.

“It was an old, solid building. That’s why the fire is still burning,” said Stephen. “The amount of wood inside is unbelievable.”

Manitoba RCMP did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching