Tenants affected by Oromocto, N.B. apartment fire ask for refund of April rent

On April 15, a fire broke out at an apartment complex located at 980 Onandaga St. in Oromocto, New Brunswick,

Though there were no injuries reported, the are 32 units in the building, and all residents have been dislocated.

Tenant Alexa English, a UNB student in her final year, was studying for an exam when the fire broke out in an apartment down the hall from her on the third floor.

“I noticed a burning smell and I thought someone was barbecuing so I closed the window and went back to studying,” said Alexa English.

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Soon, Oromocto fire trucks arrived, and neighbors were frantically knocking on her door to get out. English says the fire alarms in the hallway did not go off, which she says left her minimal time to save her animals.

“I could have died. I have two cats and a rabbit, so I’m trying to grab the pets and both sets of car keys and our wallets and we both left in our pajamas,” said English.

First floor tenant Cecile Mansfield had just finished a work-from-home shift when a neighbour alerted her to the fire. She also did not hear fire alarms in the hallway.

“Thank God he was going around pounding on doors, I’m glad this didn’t happen in the middle of the night,” said Mansfield.

Red Cross provided hotels for the evacuated tenants for three nights. But in a memorandum date April 16, Real Estate 360 Property Advisory, the property management company for the apartment complex, informed residents they could not move back into the building.

“On or before May 1^st, all of your belongings must be removed from your apartment.”

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“I lived there for 28 years and now I have two weeks to get out,” said Mansfield.

In an emailed statement, the general manager of Real Estate 360 New Brunswick said a move-in date is slated for fall.

“The property was insured; we have been advised the building is currently uninhabitable and will not be ready for occupancy for a minimum of six to nine months,” said Diana Otteson.

Tenants sat they would like until June 1 to remove belongings due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The memorandum says tenants will get a refund on rent for April, but it will be mailed to their new address. English says she and her neighbors need that money now.

“Give it back to us so we can get a sense of normalcy,” English said.

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Tenants staying at a local hotel for the time being say they will have no place to go since apartment vacancies are scarce in Oromocto, and they cannot afford rent in Fredericton.

“People need that to pay a deposit on a new place or to move their stuff,” Mansfield.

Once move-out inspections are complete, tenants can apply for their damage deposit.

Alexa English says the University of New Brunswick gifted her with $1,000 to go towards expenses for her new apartment.