EDMONTON – On the heels of a tragic fire in Quebec, a St. Albert man is raising concerns over what he sees as a possible escape route being blocked at his mother’s seniors’ home.
The issue revolves around windows in one section of Youville Home, a fairly large facility that’s divided into a newer and older part. The latter is where Malcolm Fraser’s 91-year-old mother moved into last year. Ever since then, Fraser has been worried about the windows, that are designed to open but are being kept closed by screws.
Covenant Health, which runs the facility, says that’s to ensure the air conditioning runs properly.
To Fraser, that reasoning doesn’t make sense.
“I sort of have this vision of me standing in the parking lot, watching Youville burn and my mother’s face is plastered to the window trying to get out,” he said. “And there’s nothing I can do.”
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The senior director of Covenant Health, Cecilia Marion, stresses that safety is a top priority for Covenant Health.
“The older part of the building where this person has the concern, it’s actually not combustible. It’s a cement structure,” she said.
According to the St. Albert fire chief, the building – which was inspected twice last year – is actually a very good example of what’s being done right when it comes to building and maintaining systems to the fire code.
“It’s got fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems. The building will have safe zones, separation from room to room. It’s a very secure building,” said Fire Chief Ray Richards.
READ MORE: Fact File: Fatal fires involving retirement and nursing homes in Canada
“We don’t expect people to exit through windows. The fire code, the building code in Alberta uses designated and protected fire exit corridors.”
Youville Home currently accommodates 126 residents.
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News
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