'I'm at a loss for words': Froude Avenue-area residents want answers to water supply problems

The day after a fire ravaged an apartment complex on Froude Avenue, area residents are demanding answers over a inadequate water supply for firefighters.

• Froude Avenue residents not in danger from outdated water lines, city councillor says after fire

CindyBarrington, a member of theFroudeAvenue Community Centre board, called Monday a devastating day, and said she was concerned by problems firefighters had with water supply.

The fire affected 36 units of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, with eight units completely destroyed, more suffering extensive smoke and water damage. Twenty people have been displaced permanently.

"When the fire department came, they did what they could with the resources they had at hand, but they had no water supply," she said. "They had to truck water from Campbell Avenue. There's a fire hydrant here, but they had no supply of water."

Someone at thecity will have to answer for that, saidBarrington. The water that initially came out of the fire hydrant "wouldn't put out a cinder fire," she said.

These people are going to need every bit of help, every bit of help they can get.- Lorraine Bussey

"We have people here from infancy to seniors in their 90s," she said.

"We have people with mobility issues, and we have people on oxygen, and we have babies. And to have 144 units here, and not able to safelysupply water, is a major concern for us as tenants."

DaveLilley, his girlfriend, three kids and their pets had to be evacuated from their unit, which suffered extensive smoke damage.They spent the night in a hotel.Lilleysaid he's happy everybody is OK, but he's upset over the water problems.

"They brought pumpers in from Paradise," he said. "That's not good enough. ... I'm at a loss for words."

An emotional Lorraine Bussey, who lives nearby,asked St. John's residents to dig deep to help people affected by the fire.

"For god's sake, please send in donations," she said. "These people are going to need every bit of help, every bit of help they can get."

She said she recently benefited from a fundraiser to help her after a cancer diagnosis.

"They need help, just like I needed help, and people supported me, so please, everybody, whatever you can do, reach out to these people, because they're going to need everything. Thank god it's not winter."

Debbie Connors, who also lives in the area, said the fire was scary.

"You ever see the movie Backdraft? That's what it was like," she said. "Every now and then you'd see the fire going down, then you'd see a bang, and everything come back up again."

Connors said the important thing is no lives were lost.

"Houses can be rebuilt by community," she said, adding she was comforted by the quick response of firefighters.

"I heard someone saying, 'My god, look what a big mess of smoke coming from Blackmarsh Road.' So I came out my front, and when I looked up, all you could see was flames going up," she said.

"They were here on the spot in minutes. And this place just got taken over like nothing else... I could go to sleep last night knowing that they were so good at being on the spot last night."