Update from management of Wellington Parliament Square after Tuesday’s fire

THE management of Wellington Parliament Square issued the following update on Thursday after Tuesday’s fire:

“As the Property Manager for 650 Parliament, we are concerned, shocked and saddened about the six-alarm fire that occurred on Tuesday afternoon.  

 

“We are working closely with Mayor John Tory and his City Hall Team, as well as Chief Matthew Pegg of the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office. We also want to thank Toronto Fire Service for their brave lifesaving efforts to contain the smoke and damage.

“All tenants at 650 Parliament have been advised that retroactive to August 21, 2018, we will credit back to their account their rent at a per diem rate for the time they are displaced. Our rental system is configured to calculate exact amounts, so as soon as we know the total number of days each renter is displaced, we will be back in touch with them.

“We have been, and will continue, to ask tenants in the adjacent Wellesley Parliament Square buildings to determine if they can offer temporary accommodations to those who lack options to stay with family or friends.  We know the community centres, although adequate for emergency accommodations, are uncomfortable, especially for the elderly and very young.

“We have set up an emergency # (647-760-7339), email (650helpline@wpsq) and web site (wpsq.ca), which tenants shouldn’t hesitate to use, if their immediate needs are not being met.

“We all know that the smoke has been cleared, but many building systems are not restored yet. The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office and Toronto Fire Investigations are on site to determine the cause and origin. Tenants cannot move back into their apartments until the damages have been assessed and repaired.  On-site safety is our prime concern.

“Our construction team is on standby and ready to begin repairs as soon as the Fire Marshal gives us permission to enter the building.  We know and are appreciative that Toronto Fire personnel were onsite briefly to accommodate tenants’ retrieval of essential personal items, pets and vehicles.

“We appreciate the neighbourly support of the nearby Downtown Pet Hospital, who have offered free limited emergency pet lodging. They are open 8 a.m.-midnight; 416-966-5122.”