'Our community is amazing': Donations pour in for Donald Street fire victims

Thousands of dollars have been raised to help residents of an east-end Ottawa highrise hit by two fires in two days earlier this month.

On May 2 at around 6 a.m., the first fire broke out on the third floor of the Donald Street tower.

Eight people were taken to hospital, with two children and a woman suffering life-threatening injuries.

Fifty-six people who live in 16 units on the third floor were displaced, and with the floor now under renovation, they still can't return home.

Then the following night, another fire broke out, although it was contained to one unit on the sixth floor.

Seven more people were displaced, while one person was treated for minor injuries.

"When these tragedies come together, it's about how you pull the community together and see what you can do for them," said Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney on Saturday while hosting a fundraiser at the park nearby.

By Saturday afternoon, monetary donations to the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre (EORC) — which is handling the distribution of the money to the families —  were close to $15,000, Tierney said.

The management company for the building, Q Residential, also donated $5,000 to EORC and $5,000 more to the Red Cross, he added.

The fundraiser also received about 500 gift cards, while the North Gloucester Giants football club donated $600 in new toys and other goods. 

Walmart, Adonis and No Frills stores provided food to residents at the event, with the remainder going to a local school breakfast program. 

Watching people gather to help out residents made Melissa Maheu proud. 

"I think our community is amazing," said Maheu, who's lived at the Donald Street apartment complex for 40 years.

Many of the residents are still living in fear, Maheu said, adding she's hesitant to use her electricity in case it leads to another fire.

"There's fear, but in this drama we can at least know that there's people behind us to help us at the end of the day," she said.

"So we're not alone and we can help each other."

Local school raising funds too

Gloucester High School, which had many students affected by the fires, has independently raised $3,400 so far, said teacher Scott Fawcett.

Fawcett said even students who weren't directly affected are still upset about what happened.

"It can be very impactful on them at such a critical age," Fawcett said.

Ottawa police have charged a man with attempted murder and arson in relation to the May 2 fire. 

Fawcett said the charges have sparked conversations with students, and getting them involved with fundraising teaches a good lesson

"It's a strong and noble initiative," he said. 

"[We're] showing them that, you know, we should be working together in the community to raise funds and [do] outreach to the community. And that we're not alone in battling criminal activity like this."

According to fire officials, the May 3 fire was deemed to not be suspicious.