Londoners mobilize to support neighbours after devastating Culver Drive condo fire

Residents of an east London, Ont., condo complex are rallying around five of their neighbours who were displaced after a major fire tore through their homes last week.

Forced to flee with what they had, residents of the close-knit Culver Drive community have pitched in clothing and household essentials for the two families, all long-time residents.

Firefighters raced to the scene on Culver Dr., west of Clarke Road, around 11:40 a.m. Friday, and arrived to find flames and heavy smoke shooting from two single-story homes. 

It's believed the fire originated in the garage of 1820 Culver Dr., and climbed up the exterior wall of 1818 Culver Dr., and into its attic where it spread. No one was injured, and fire officials said the cause of the fire was unknown as of Monday.

Sam Lovan and his wife Somnuck had been in their living room at 1818 Culver when their neighbour from across the street began frantically pounding on their door.

The neighbour, Soteroulla Thrasyvoulou, told CBC News she had been standing at her kitchen window when she saw smoke coming from her neighbour's property.

A resident there for 41 years, Thrasyvoulou went to her neighbour, Susan St. Croix, out of concern.

"That's when we hear the 'bang' and then all of a sudden it started, more black smoke coming, and the fire coming, and that's when I ran and knocked (on) the door," Thrasyvoulou said.

The Lovans and the couple's adult son escaped and took shelter at Thrasyvoulou's home. There, they watched as their residence of 30 years went up in flames.

"I say, 'just come in.' It was with no shoes, nothing. I give them some socks, some slippers from my husband," she said.

An aerial apparatus and over a dozen firefighters battled the wind-driven flames, which weakened 1818's roof, causing it to collapse. The resulting hole remained Monday as fire investigation crews from Origin and Cause sifted debris.

The blaze caused more than $1 million worth of damage, including to the siding of a third house whose occupants were away, fire officials say. The Ontario Fire Marshal's office was contacted, but did not attend. The incident is not suspicious, say police.

Lovan said because the fire was mostly on the exterior, no smoke alarms had gone off. Had it not been for neighbours, they would have remained unaware of the blaze.

"I left everything inside the house. Wallet and everything, I got nothing. My wife got nothing. We have nothing at all," he said. "(We're) lucky, anyway … we got out safe, thanks to my neighbour."

St. Croix, the condo corporation's president, was in her living room across the street. 

A retired couple living at 1820 Culver Dr. managed to escape in time, as the home's only exit became engulfed, St. Croix said. The couple declined an interview.

"By the time he opened his door and saw what was going on, the flames would have been very close. I live 40 feet (12 metres) away, and I could feel the heat through my window," she said.

"He was shocked, too, because it happened from his garage. He just cried and came and said sorry to me," said Lovan. "Nobody wanted this to happen. It was an accident anyway."

The Canadian Red Cross said it assisted three occupants of 1818 Culver Dr. with emergency lodging, clothing, food and personal products.

Lovan says they're staying at a hotel with the help of the Red Cross until Wednesday, but are waiting on their insurance provider to figure out longer-term accommodations, including through the holidays.

"We still don't know what to do, where to go right now, for the next couple of days. I'm still waiting for a call," he said late Monday morning.

The couple say they're grateful for the support they've seen from neighbours, including food and clothing, and say they hope they can retrieve personal items from the home.

Peter Cuddy, the local ward councillor, visited on Saturday. With the help of fire crews, Lovan's neighbours were able to retrieve some valuables, said St. Croix, who has been co-ordinating donations.

Cuddy visited the scene on Monday to see what more the community could do to help.

"If there's a way we can do a clothing drive, if we can raise some funds for them … I'm just going to see exactly what they need and what we can provide for them," Cuddy said.