Westcourt Place fire due to accidental electrical failure, says Ontario fire marshal

The Ontario fire marshal confirmed Friday that a downtown Windsor highrise fire — that displaced hundreds of residents, dozens of commercial tenants, as well as staff with the Provincial Offences court — was accidental and the result of electrical failure.

The provincial fire marshal also confirmed the Westcourt Place blaze did in fact originate in an underground parking garage in the downtown Windsor highrise. 

The fire damaged several vehicles in the garage and left more than 200 residents, across 166 units, and the occupants of approximately 30 commercial tenants, displaced since Nov. 12.

Residents and commercial tenants have been permitted on a few occasions to return to Westcourt Place in order to pick up clothes, medication and other essentials.

Provincial Offences court staff have been working out of Windsor City Hall as a result of the fire.

Earlier this week, Westcourt Place building manager Vickie Heyden used two Facebook post to update residents about the status of water and electricity in the building. 

As of this Wednesday, running water had returned to the highrise, though the building is still without electricity except in public areas. 

Additionally, heat is available "all the way up to the eighth floor," according to Heyden. 

Windsor city officials returned control of the building back to its owner, a Montreal-based company, last week.

Displaced residents unable to find accommodation were previously housed at the WFCU Centre by the city, until the building owner began offering motel accommodations. 

Heyden said it's not clear when residents will be able to return to the building.

"It's getting more and more frustrating for all of us, including myself, but I'm just doing my best to keep everyone happy and try to get them home as soon as possible.

Heyden said she and others are moving up the building "floor-by-floor," in order to remove all ceiling tiles, as well as clean walls and all staircases.

"We'll be working all day [Saturday] as well," she said. 

Class action lawsuit moving forward

Windsor law firm Strosberg Sasso Sutts filed a class action suit Monday worth approximately $35 million against Westcourt Place on behalf of the building's residents earlier this week. 

Harvey Strosberg, a senior partner at Strosberg Sasso Sutts, told CBC News that the class action is still moving forward.

"Usually fires are caused by negligence by the owners that fail to keep their electrical panels up to snuff," he said.

Strosberg said "a lot" of people have reached out to his office looking to participate in the class action. 

Ontario is an "opt out" province, meaning that anyone looking to avoid getting involved in the class action must specify that they would like to opt out of the lawsuit.

The firm is holding a class action information session for Westcourt Place residents and tenants on Saturday at the All Saints' Anglican Church in downtown Windsor.