Londoners came together in a ‘mind-blowing’ way to help victims of Becher St. fire
Alessio Donnini CBC News
Clothing and other items donated to help tenants displaced by a fire last week that destroyed 33 Becher St. in London, Ont. Matt Smith, owner of Wortley Auto Service, says enough was donated to fill a 10x10 storage unit, and most of a 20-foot-long shipping container. (Matt Smith)
A former tenant of a multi-unit home in south London that was destroyed by fire describes the support he and other displaced tenants have received from the community as “mind-blowing”.
The fire in the converted century-old home at 33 Becher St. killed one person, whom neighbours identified as Jeremy Carson. It also killed a cat belonging to a couple living there.
Neighbours, local business owners and strangers came together immediately after the fire and donated money, furniture, clothing and other items that tenants will need to rebuild their lives.
So far, a 10×10 storage unit and most of a 20-foot-long shipping container have been filled.
“It’s not that I thought the community wouldn’t be this generous. It just never occurred to me that I’d ever be in this position,” Michael Norwood said. He lost everything in the fire and will be a recipient of the goods.
“To the community, I’d say thank you so much. I am so very grateful.”
The drop-off point for most of the donations was the Wortley Auto Service, at the corner of Wortley Road and York Street. Further along the road, the Wortley Roadhouse where Norwood works held raffles to raise money to donate to tenants.
Source: Londoners came together in a ‘mind-blowing’ way to help victims of Becher St. fire | CBC News
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“It’s been an unreal amount of support,” Matt Smith said, owner of Wortley Auto Service. “It’s been really reassuring to see that people are taking care of complete strangers and doing what they should as citizens.”
Some items have already been given away, while a final assessment of who needs what is scheduled to take place on Monday. The next day, tenants say they’ve been told that what’s left of the building will be demolished.
Many tenants continue to look for a new permanent home. Some, like Norwood, had been long term tenants in the Becher street building, paying far below the going market rate for rent in London.
Most didn’t have insurance either, and the cost of reapplying for identification cards and other essentials is an added burden.
Norwood is among those still looking for a new apartment, but said that he is lucky he was able to move back in with his family. He said the community’s support has made it much easier to take things one day at a time.
