Residents displaced by fire at Chez Nous staying at Mill River as options discussed

The province is working with staff at a community care facility in Wellington, P.E.I., to determine next steps after 47 residents were displaced by a fire late Monday night.

The residents of La Coopérative Le Chez-Nous have been relocated to the Mill River Resort, where they can stay until at least Thursday, but then the hotel is booked for the weekend. Resort and hotel officials are trying to see if there's a way to keep them at Mill River beyond Thursday.

Dr. Heather Morrison, P.E.I.'s chief public health officer, said residents would not be violating public health orders if they moved home with family, providing the families are not travelling outside the province or under self-isolation orders.

She said those decisions would be up to the families and staff at Le Chez-Nous.

"The first priority is the safety of the residents and the staff," she said.

The residents were scheduled to receive COVID-19 vaccinations Tuesday, but those plans have now been put on hold.

"We decided today is not a good day to do that. It has been very traumatic for the residents and staff, what they have been through," she said.

"If the residents go home with family before they are vaccinated, they will be vaccinated — maybe not this week — but they will get vaccinated."

Premier Dennis King said another option is to move residents to community care facilities that have vacancies.

"We've made the commitment that we will be there, just need to know what we need to help provide," he said.

At Mill River Tuesday, officials with the Red Cross were on-site, getting blankets, money for clothes, and extra equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs to residents.

Paramedics were also called to respond to a medical call with one of the residents.

Firefighters from the Wellington fire department were called to Chez-Nous at around 9:40 p.m. Monday after heavy smoke was reported in the building.

They were first taken to the local legion, then to Mill River.

Officials said there were no serious injuries, but a few residents sustained minor scrapes and bruises. 

Cecile Arseneault has two loved ones there. Her mom, Marie-Ann Arsenault, is 84 years old. She was making a blanket just before the fire broke out. Her step-grandmother, Hilda Landry, is 104. 

"My mom has mobility issues, so just walking from her room, to outside, to the car and, you know, being rushed through all of this and then through to the legion, she was out of breath, she was short winded," she said.

"But EMS was there when we got there. They were checking her. They had already checked her and they were basically coming by again to see how she was doing."

King thanked EMS and others who helped out Monday night, including firefighters from Tyne Valley, Miscouche and New London who were on the scene to assist the Wellington fire department. 

"I believe it's a further demonstration of the strong sense of community and kindness that is felt throughout Prince Edward Island."

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