‘We won’t go without a bed’: Fire displaces 11 men from Moncton home

Eleven men need a place to stay after a recovery home in Moncton was damaged by a fire.

Cal Maskery was at Victoria Park in downtown Moncton early Thursday evening when he got a text message from a man who lives next to one of his properties.

Soon after, he heard sirens.

“The whole back of the building had somehow caught fire and was going up through into the attic, there was smoke coming out of the front,” said Maskery.

Maskery is the founder and director of ShekinahGO, a faith-based organization that provides recovery from addiction, sober living and aftercare services while continuing support.

Their three-storey recovery and sober living home on Lester Street was badly damaged by fire and now all 11 residents need a place to stay.

Two people were home at the time of the fire, but no one was hurt.

“Everybody got out OK, including the cats,” said Maskery.

But the fire is devastating for the organization that is trying to help people get their lives back.

“It’s a lot, but the spirit is good around here. The guys are encouraging each other. Some of the guys are nervous about what’s going to happen to them. Because some are on bail waiting for court to get their life on track, trying to face what they need to face,” said Maskery.

Residents at the Lester Street home are between the ages of 19 and 60-years-old.

The Red Cross put the men up in a hotel Thursday night, but where everyone will stay now is not certain.

“We don’t know yet. We haven’t resolved that yet,” said Maskery.

One of the men looking for a new place to stay is Jamie Whelan, who credits the program for changing his life.

“We’re not short of a place. We’ve got other parts of our organization within the community. Guys won’t be homeless. We won’t be without a bed,” said Whelan.

Whelan said everyone is trying to stay positive, but losing personal belongings is tough.

“We’re all in recovery and a few things that the guys did acquire they value because they’ve lost so much in their lives,” said Whelan.

Moncton Fire Department acting Platoon Chief Jamie Rooney said they received the fire call around 6:30 p.m.

“Lots of damage to the outside, rear of the structure and the fire got inside as well,” said Rooney. “The smoke and water damage was pretty heavy.”

Rooney said it was a tricky fire to fight because the structure is an older one.

“It was an older home with numerous ceilings,” said Rooney. “We were there for a while. A few hours.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

ShekinahGO offers a modified detox program that Maskery said can help save people’s lives.

He’s been working with the 18-bed detox centre in Moncton which is run by the Horizon Health Network.

He wants to take some of their lighter cases and work with them.

“If anybody is really interested in the modified detox, we’re going to need volunteers, we’re going to need helpers that want to help save lives and get them clean so they can get into our program,” said Maskery. “We can’t take everybody, but we can be that first step to get them clean and into a program.”

For now, Maskery said the community is rallying around them including a thrift store in Riverview that has donated clothes to the men.

The fire comes at a time when Maskery was hoping to expand and purchase another home on Lester Street and add 20 more beds.

“This kind of set us back a little bit, but we believe good will come out of this,” said Maskery.

A fundraiser has been set up and Maskery hopes he’ll have everyone settled by the end of the day.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.