Kimberly Melanson, who has multiple sclerosis and limited mobility, found herself trapped when fire broke out in her basement apartment on Monday.
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” I woke up to my boyfriend pounding my legs with a blanket, yelling at me, ‘get out get out get out there’s a fire,'” Kimberly Melanson said
Her boyfriend, Gervis Mallet, tried to get her out but when he couldn’t he went to find help.
After being trapped in the apartment for roughly 10 minutes, Melanson was rescued by Moncton firefighters.
She managed to escape the fire suffering from smoke inhalation and receiving non-life threatening burns to her arms and face.
She is still in hospital in intensive care, and when she gets out she said she may find herself homeless.
Living on a limited income of about $800 a month, she said can’t afford much.
She is relying on family and the help of organizations like Big Hearts Small City to try and find her and her boyfriend a ground level apartment. She has been waiting for a wheelchair accessible home for three years.
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“It is a slow process, and as you know, there is a shortage of affordable housing in the first place, and you add wheelchair accessible affordable housing and it becomes even a bigger challenge” said Jason Surette, president of Big Hearts Small City.
Melanson’s sister Jessica Melanson said trying to find a home is even more important now, especially given how long she was stuck in the apartment during the fire.
“Just the thought of her being in that building for that long, it just tears me up,” Jessica said.
“We’ll hopefully get her set up with an apartment and we hope to try and raise money for her, just to rebuild the life that she lost.”