13 abandoned homes in Moncton already demolished this year

A fire prevention task force is demolishing homes in greater Moncton at a record rate, according to the director of the city's building inspection department.

Sherry Sparks said the task force was formed late last year after a 55-year-old homeless man died in a fire in an abandoned home where he was sleeping.

Sparks said 13 homes and buildings have been torn down in Moncton since January as a result of the new program.

"Five of the buildings have been demolished by the City of Moncton and the other eight have been demolished by the property owners," Sparks said.

The task force includes representatives from the city, the Moncton fire department and the RCMP.

"We work together as a team, so once a building is identified it may be vacant, unoccupied or run down and then an inspection is completed on the property and it's ranked on a point system," she said.

Sparks said property owners are contacted when possible and if the building is in "tremendous disrepair" or has previously had a fire, her department can issue an order for it to be demolished.

Moncton is not responsible for the cost of demolishing buildings. If property owners do not tear the homes down on their own, they are billed for the full cost.

Public safety top priority

Charles LeBlanc, a division chief with the Moncton Fire Department, is part of the team that inspects abandoned buildings regularly.

At a derelict building in Moncton on Monday, he was checking the boarded up windows after reports that someone had broken in.

"This property had a previous fire, so it is of great concern to us and the fact that we're here again today as a result of a complaint, basically people calling in saying it was unsecured again," he said.

Sparks said approximately 20 properties are being regularly monitored by the task force.

"Having buildings that are in disrepair and that are structurally unsound or are easily accessible for criminal activity, or sometimes people are going in the winter just looking for a warm spot and they accidentally have a candle trying to keep them warm ... it doesn't take much to set it on fire," she said.

Sparks said the task force has made a significant difference with people identifying homes and buildings that are in poor repair or that are being used by homeless people.