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For the 900 displaced residents of 2 Secord Ave., the end of their ordeal may soon be in sight.
Now one month into their displacement following an explosion in an underground hydro vault below the apartment building, the residents were told they would be allowed back home near the end of August.
"That's the target," confirmed Danny Roth, a spokesperson for the Preston Group, which owns the building. "To say that we will or will not hit it ... it's speculation."
The end-of-the-month target was reached last week when the fire marshal's office turned control of the building back over to the landlords, allowing them to move on with cleanup and repairs.
But there's still a lot of work to be done before residents can move back in. A thick layer of soot must be removed from the hallway walls. Fire safety equipment must be repaired. And electricity and water must also be restored before anyone can live in the building again.
When all that is done, the building must pass inspections by the city's fire services and building department, as well as the electrical safety authority. Without the approval from all three, the doors will stay closed a while longer.
In the meantime, residents have been getting on with their lives in whatever ways they can. Several hundred of them have been staying in hotel rooms paid for by the city, while others have been staying with friends and family.
For the second day in a row yesterday, handfuls of residents were allowed back into their apartments under security escort for 15 minutes at a time to gather a few more essential belongings and to take a look at their damaged homes with insurance adjusters. Those efforts continue today.
After being given the opportunity to view their homes for just the second time since the July 20 explosion, most residents were pessimistic yesterday at their chances of moving back in anytime soon.
"From what I saw, it can't be the end of the month," said resident Romelda Morson.
"That place is a mess up there right now ... everything is covered in soot."
City Councillor Janet Davis, who represents the area, seemed equally cynical.
"It's very hard to know whether that's a realistic date. There still remains some significant work to complete," she said.
In the meantime, she noted, the city has secured hotel rooms for the evacuees until at least Sept. 4, and will continue to provide meal vouchers and support as needed.
