Winnipeg man lost everything in New Year's Eve fire, says he's focused on the future
Nathan Liewicki | CBC News | Posted: January 4, 2022 11:00 AM | Last Updated: January 4, 2022
Turning Leaf Services has started Sherbrook Fire Relief Fund to help those displaced by the fire
As firefighters sprayed gallons upon gallons of water — that quickly turned to ice — onto his Winnipeg apartment building late New Year's Eve, Chuck Tizya wasn't lamenting the items he'd left behind.
Tizya, 72, was among a handful of people immediately displaced from the three-storey Sherbrook Street apartment building after a fire broke out on the third floor shortly after 8 p.m. on Friday night.
"I always remain very calm and I don't aggravate over anything, really. But I immediately started thinking about what I need to do just to keep on living," he told CBC News Monday afternoon.
"I wasn't angry. I wasn't frustrated. I wasn't upset to any degree."
Tizya had just recently returned to his main-floor suite when the sound of a fire alarm went off. He thought it was nothing serious to worry about.
"Previously, the fire alarm had gone off a number of times where troublemakers would come and just pull the alarm and run out, and I thought it was just another one of those — but this time it was for real," Tizya said.
Still, he went down the hallway and saw the front door of the building wide open and people saying there was smoke coming spewing from the top floor.
That's when Tizya saw the fire trucks pulling up on Sherbrook Street.
He hurried back to his suite and as he quickly changed from his pyjamas, a firefighter banged on his door and told him to exit the building.
Emergency personnel helped several people exit the building. Neighbouring homes were also evacuated as a precaution.
Tizya couldn't believe how quickly the smoke turned into flames shooting out of third-floor windows and through the roof.
WATCH | Fire destroys Winnipeg apartment building:
As the building burned and layers of ice continued to form on the building's exterior, Tizya messaged his son in Brandon to let him know he was OK.
"[He was] obviously in shock and I was in shock too. The first thing is 'Oh my God. It's like 40-something below and it's New Year's Eve. Like what are the odds?" Doug Tizya said Monday morning.
"My dad was pretty calm, cool and collective … he's 72 now and he's just a resilient man so that really helped me stay calm with it as well."
The cause of the fire is under investigation, and no damage estimates are available, but the building is expected to be a complete loss.
In a statement to CBC News, the Canadian Red Cross said it is assisting 11 people affected by the fire with items such as clothing, accommodation, food and personal services. The Red Cross provides assistance with basic needs for up to 72 hours following a home fire.
Non-profit helping
Turning Leaf Services, a non-profit, charitable organization that provides assistance to vulnerable and marginalized individuals living with mental illness and intellectual challenges, is also stepping in to help.
Ten of its clients were living in the apartment building, said Swani Landry, the director of Marketing and communications, in an interview with Marjorie Dowhos on CBC Manitoba's Up to Speed on Monday.
Since the fire, the team has worked diligently to meet their basic needs.
"We have a team of clinicians, so they have access to to therapy and support in that way. Our team has been working around the clock since this happened for three days straight, just ensuring that they have everything that they need," Landry said.
"You don't think about these kinds of things, but medications were lost in that fire. Medications that these people require to remain stable and healthy. And you know, so, you know, just making that run to the pharmacy immediately to get their medications replaced."
Turning Leaf is accepting monetary donations on its website, as well as material goods.
Household goods, clothing and winter gear will be accepted at the office at 565 Roseberry St. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday to help those affected by the fire.
"We've already seen so many items coming in, and it's just quite, as I said, just very overwhelming," Landry said.
Hotel, meals
Chuck Tizya, who is originally from the Yukon, was put up in a hotel by the building's property manager, who is also providing Tizya with a few meals.
"He does things that I never expect, which makes the situation a whole lot better than it could be," Tizya said of the property manager.
Tizya says he plans to stay in the hotel a few more days and is already looking for a new place to live.
Although his new residence will not contain the same material possessions, such as the slew of musical and artistic items that he left behind in the fire, Tizya says the fire isn't going to stop him from enjoying life.
"What's important is how is life going to be from ... right now going forward, and that's how I look at life," he said.
"I enjoy life, I love life."