The sudden decision Thursday evening to evacuate about 250 residents of a Portage Avenue apartment complex was made to “prevent a potential disaster” after engineers determined the structure was at risk of collapsing.
“Collapse of the building is the biggest (concern)…. The engineers are unsure about how (that would happen) and what that would look like. Therefore, their recommendation was to evacuate the building as soon as possible,” Jason Shaw, deputy chief of emergency management for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, said Friday.
The owners of the five-storey Birchwood Terrace apartment building at 2440 Portage received the order to evacuate the property Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Workers stand by one of the massive metal beams that have been installed in the parking garage to try to stabilize the support pillars which have fallen into disrepair. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
A team of Winnipeg Police Service and WFPS officials went door to door Friday, beginning at 8 a.m., to reach residents and assist in getting them out, Shaw said.
The problem was detected by a third-party engineering inspection conducted on behalf of the building’s owner, who completely co-operated with the order, Shaw said.
“Over the course of (the) inspection, they uncovered severe deterioration of the building structure… the building is not safe to occupy at present,” he said.
It’s not clear if or when residents might be allowed to return to the building. A news release issued by the city noted it could take several months to address the identified structural issues.
Specifically, Shaw said engineers determined columns that support the weight of the building are structurally unsound. He said he did not have any information on whether the building could require demolition.
Support pillars are being reinforced in the parking garage of Birchwood Terrace, at 2440 Portage Ave. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
Mayor Scott Gillingham said the decision to evacuate the building was required to ensure tenants’ safety.
“We recognize that this is an unexpected situation for the residents. And I want to assure (the residents) that the City of Winnipeg will continue to support you in any way that we can as you navigate this challenging time. The city will continue to work closely with the property owner to address the unsafe condition and address the safety of all residents, Gillingham said.
“We understand the disruption and the uncertainty that this evacuation can cause for you and your families and we’re committed to providing the necessary supports.”
The city has set up a reception centre to assist residents at the Holiday Inn Airport West at 2520 Portage Ave., which will connect people with housing and other supports. The mayor said more than 50 evacuated residents received help at the site by 8:45 a.m. Friday.
Shaw noted city bylaws guide safe building construction, while property owners are responsible for maintaining their buildings. He did not know the last date the building had been inspected, prior to the review that detected the structural concerns.
Ryan Ducharme loads his bed onto his sister’s pick-up truck. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
The residents of 30 to 40 nearby homes along a section of Assiniboine Avenue have also been placed on “evacuation watch.”
“Generally speaking, when we look at a building and the potential for a building collapse, we look at a larger area to be able to determine what the risk factors are. Based off of those rough calculations, we wanted to put (these) residents… on an emergency watch,” said Shaw.
This is the first large apartment block in the city he’s aware of being evacuated due to the risk of collapse in at least two decades.
On Thursday, one of the building’s owners told the Free Press that structural engineers found corrosion on “several” beams in the building’s parkade.
— with files from Nicole Buffie
Residents of Birchwood Terrace continue to pack up all their belongings early Friday morning as the deadline approaches to vacate the building. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
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Kayla Dussome and Isaac Sanchez work at clearing out Kayla’s mom’s apartment after the couple spent the night clearing out their own on place on another floor. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
Members of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service arrive shortly before 8 a.m., the deadline to closing the building. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
Winnipeg Police Service officers arrive just before 8 a.m. to enforce the order to vacate. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
Viola Bourassa loads a cart full of her belongings into her friend Gloria Ducharme’s van. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Joyanne loves to tell the stories of this city, especially when politics is involved. Joyanne became the city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in early 2020.