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By Caden Fanshaw

LOOKING ON

PG seniors still feeling effects of Southridge fire

Feb 3, 2021 | 9:39 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – As of Thursday, it will have been two weeks since a fire tore through the roof of a Southridge condo building causing extensive structural damage.

Ken and Katherine Ewing were not hurt in the fire, and neither were the rest of the occupants from the 10 unit complex, but they’re still feeling the effects.

Moving back into their place near Southridge Elementary can’t come soon enough for the pair, both retired and now living in a basement suite.

Katherine says they own the unit which neighbours where the fire started on January 21st on the third floor of the white building, the top part above their unit now black, and charred from the blaze.

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“We are paying for strata fees here still even though we can’t live in the unit,” says Katherine, “after the fire we stayed in a motel by the Bon Voyage for a few days and now we’re renting a basement suite,”

The pair says paying the expenses not knowing when they will be able to move back is frustrating, luckily a majority of the other residents in the complex which they say were all seniors had family nearby who took them in until the damage was repaired.

Crews were on-site on Wednesday when CKPG News was on scene, Winmar Prince George who is in charge of restoring the site says the timeline when people may be able to return to living there is currently unknown. Jon Schulli with Winmar says the roof of the building suffered extensive damage, crews are currently just working on a temporary roof to keep the elements out.

The Ewing’s say they hope their insurance can help cover some of their expenses but are unsure how much they will end up paying out of pocket.

Prince George Fire Rescue say the fire was accidental, with initial damage estimated at $200,000