The South Porcupine Food Bank is closed after a fire in the apartments in the building, according to deputy fire chief Ellard Beaven.
The Timmins Fire Department responded to the fire in the Main Street building just after 2 a.m. today (June 25).
“As the crews were responding, South Porcupine station’s only two blocks away, we were getting reports of people trapped upstairs in the apartments,” said Beaven.
He said one person jumped down on their own and firefighters helped three people get out of the building.
“The apartment of origin, the individual in that apartment had gotten out. Thankfully working smoke alarms saved her life and she was out of the apartment and four people were brought to the hospital for observation and everybody was released," he said.
There were about nine or 10 people in the building that has multiple apartment units, he said.
At this time, Beaven said there's nothing suspicious about the cause and they believe it's accidental.
“Unfortunately due to the extensive smoke and fire damage that’s caused an issue for South Porcupine Food Bank now that has to be closed, power’s been turned off and there’s heavy smoke damage in there,” he said.
Food bank treasurer Peter Davis said an insurance adjuster will be checking the location.
"Thankfully we don’t have any water damage on our side, but we do have heavy smoke damage so unfortunately, it looks like all the food we did have will have to be disposed of even if it was in freezers, that’s the hard part because we have freezers full of food," said Davis.
The hope is to reopen in the same location, he said the adjuster will need to see if that can be done.
“The biggest concern is for the tenants that have lost their residences. That’s the big story here, making sure that they get set up somewhere and get their needs met,” he said.
For users of the food bank, there is the Timmins Food Bank and that the First Baptist Church food bank. He noted the Good Samaritan Inn in South Prcupine also offers a bit of assistance.
Monetary donations are still being accepted and will help restock the shelves when they can reopen, said Davis.
People wishing to help can donate online here or mail a cheque to South Porcupine Food Bank, 32 Main Street, South Porcupine ON P0N 1H0.
