Donation drive underway to support Dartmouth fire victims

It’s been nearly a week since panicked tenants ran outside away from flames shooting through a north-end Dartmouth apartment building.

“The fire happened around 4 a.m. and we abruptly awoke to the fire alarm,” said Angela Rafuse, one of the residents who lived at 81 Primrose Street.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The fire happened around 4 a.m. and we abruptly awoke to the fire alarm," said Angela Rafuse, one of the residents who lived at 81 Primrose Street.

“I was awoken and we did hear somebody in the hallways shouting that there was a fire. So we started to evacuate.”

READ MORE: Red Cross closing emergency shelter for Dartmouth fire, 115 tenants still displaced

The May 19 fire wasn’t the only one that shook members the north-end Dartmouth community. Just hours after the Primrose Street fire, another apartment building broke out into flames on Brule Street.

Officials have since deemed the Brule Street fire not suspicious and say there isn’t a connection between the two.

The Primrose Street fire claimed the life of one person and left over 100 more displaced.

A donation drive is underway to support those in need.

“What we’re doing is collecting very specifically money donations and Walmart gift cards,” Susan Leblanc said, the MLA for Dartmouth North.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "What we're doing is collecting very specifically money donations and Walmart gift cards," Susan Leblanc said, the MLA for Dartmouth North.

Leblanc says all gift cards will be brought to the Farrell Benevolent Society and distributed to those impacted by the fires.

READ MORE: Brule Street fire doesn’t appear to be suspicious: Halifax fire

Despite the emotional circumstances that have left many people still wondering where they’ll go, Rafuse says community support has been present since day one.

“Within minutes the local mosque actually came to our rescue and started taking people over to the mosque and within a few hours, the Red Cross was set up and eventually and evacuation centre. It was overwhelming to the see the support of the first responders, the community, the mosque,” she said.

Donations can be dropped off at Leblanc’s constituency office at 260 Wyse Road, Suite 102 in Dartmouth.

Fire officials are expected to release the cause of the Primrose Street fire early next week.