More than a dozen people were displaced after a fire took over the Grand River Hotel in Cambridge last week.
Six days later, some people are left without a place to sleep.
The first is believed to have begun on the second floor and is being considered suspicious. Tenants that lived there lost everything—Edward Ryan says he got the remainder of his monthly rent and his key deposit back, but that’s it.
He’s left with a couple hundred dollars, a small suitcase and a change of clothes.
“I’m 64 years old, I've had a stroke, I can barely get around,” he says. “With nowhere to turn, I don’t know what to do.”
He says he and three others had to climb onto the roof to escape.
“I see nothing but a wall of smoke and I yelled, ‘Get out, get out, get out the windows!’” he remembers.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
While the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office says its investigators have wrapped up on scene, they’re still waiting for a forensic test to come back before a cause is determined.
In the meantime, Edward has been supported by the Red Cross. Normally the organization provides three days of support, but in this case, they extended it to five.
“This was meant to provide additional time for people to secure new housing beyond the temporary accommodation the Red Cross was able to offer,” a statement from a spokesperson reads in part.
He prefers not to stay in a shelter due to his health condition. With his five days up, Ryan hopes the city can pitch in to help him.
He expects to be let back into his home over the weekend to get his wallet and ID, all that’s salvageable within.
The city says those impacted can reach out to the city or the region's housing department for more information about additional supports.
