Barrington Passage complex hit by small fire 2 days after water cut
Residents of a Barrington Passage apartment complex stripped of its water supply last week by the local municipality faced another concern over the weekend after a small fire broke out Sunday afternoon.
The blaze at Courtyard Apartments, which houses mainly seniors, likely started after a cigarette fell between boards of a wooden deck, according to residents. Firefighters put out the fire and damage to the deck was minor.
But a tenant of the 28-unit building says the fire makes her even more worried about the building's lack of water. Bonita Slevin fears there may not enough to feed the sprinkler system.
On Friday, the municipality cut off water supply to the apartments because the well is on public property.
"They cut that off Friday, and this happened already," Slevin said. "And I was thinking 'I hope nothing happens.' We have a sprinkler system if [fire] happens inside here and if you don't have enough water that can't work neither, can it."
The Courtyard Apartments complex used to be a high school. It was redeveloped seven years ago into residences and business space.
The landlord, Ken Anthony, had been told the building's water supply came from a well in front of the property. But he discovered a couple of years later the actual source was underneath a soccer field owned by the municipality.
Anthony tried to get an easement, but the municipality refused, citing liability concerns. Last week, municipal officials, accompanied by four RCMP officers, disconnected the water supply.
Anthony has said there's a two-day reservoir in the basement.
