Two fires leave many West Islanders homeless

About 225 West Islanders are homeless after fires consumed an apartment building in Pierrefonds and a row of 10 townhouses in Dollard des Ormeaux early Monday morning and at night, respectively.

"We take care of the immediate needs right away," said Pointe Claire Volunteer Rescue unit leader Paul McLean, whose group represents the Red Cross.

The unit helped evacuees with first aid, as well as food, clothing and blankets, before finding temporary places to stay for them at hotels.

The Pierrefonds fire broke at 4:10 a.m. at an apartment building on Riviera. Many residents first assumed it was one of the building's fire drills.

"I thought it's another fake fire alarm," said Fred, a resident who did not want his last name revealed.

Once he opened his bedroom window and saw smoke on the above floor, however, he immediately evacuated with his wife and dog.

Downstairs, Fred noticed one firefighter struggling with attaching a fire hose to the building's water pump.

"He looked at me and asked if I could help," Fred recalled. Noticing each firefighter was busy, he grabbed the hose and stuck it on, turning soaking-wet in the process. "It was eight degrees only outside," he recalled.

However, Fred praised the firefighters' diligence, especially in covering all apartment possessions with tarps to avoid getting them wet while turning the blaze off.

Standing near the evacuated apartment building in his pyjama pants, a sweater and some running shoes Monday morning, Marco Lappna also brushed off the alarm as a drill at first. "I heard the alarm at 4 a.m. I thought it was a false alarm, " he said. " He realized the seriousness of the situation when some firefighters knocked on his door.

Arson has been ruled out at Pierrefonds as a possibility, but the Dollard fire, which started at 9:20 p.m. and was under control by 3:20 a.m. Tuesday morning, is under investigation by police.

Chronicle, Raffy Boudjikanian