Residents of a northwest Edmonton condo building have been urged to immediately evacuate their homes due to concerns the building could collapse.
A letter sent Friday to residents of Castledowns Pointe condo building at 12618 152nd Ave. details a series of structural concerns with the property, a four-storey building with 83 units, constructed in 1999.
According to the notice from property manager Simco Management, engineers investigating the damage caused by a March 12 fire discovered the building was not structurally sound.
“In summary, the report of the structural engineers advises that under certain conditions, all or a portion of the building could fail structurally, (i.e. collapse),” the notice says.
Structural engineering firm Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. (RJC) made the findings and recommended that residents leave without delay, the notice says.
RJC declined to comment to CBC on its findings. The notice says the firm informed the city of its findings on Aug. 31. Simco said in its notice that it expects the city will issue a formal evacuation order.
“Please note that it is the recommendation of RJC that due to the potential life safety issue, that the remaining residents vacate the building as soon as possible,” the notice says.
The city has not responded to a request for comment but a spokesperson said an official statement is being prepared.
A notice on the front doors of the building Tuesday instructed residents to leave their units “without delay.”
‘Pack a suitcase’
Owners and tenants have been instructed to pack for at least a week and to take their pets with them.
“Given the severity of the situation, residents are asked to pack a suitcase but to leave the rest of their possessions,” reads the notice from Simco Management.
“Do not move out contents or other materials at this time as it is a safety issue. We thank you for your co-operation.”
The investigation began in May, when engineers began to examine fire-damaged portions of the building.
They found the construction was “not the same as the engineered drawings on file and that the as-built conditions were under-designed to carry the structural load of the building.”
The condo board received an initial report Aug. 18 and an inspection of the building was expanded.
Because of concerns about the extent of the problems, the engineers began opening up drywall in parts of the building that were untouched by the fire.
The notice says the findings were reported to the board in a closed-door meeting on Aug. 30, prompting the evacuation letter issued two days later.
Rose Ferris, who has owned a unit in the building for 23 years and sits on the condo board, was packing up boxes on Tuesday.
She said she has seen the engineering report and was there when the findings were shared by investigators.
“They found deficiencies in the walls where the structural beams are. They call it crushing,” Ferris said.
“The engineering company’s report to our management company was to get everybody out because if we had one really big storm, the sway in the building could just be enough that it could bring it down.”
Simco Management owner Ray Pratt said his company is working to organize an emergency meeting Wednesday with the building’s 83 owners and the engineers.
He said Simco is not the original management company for the property and his team is not sure which company constructed the building.
Pratt said the condo board is collecting questions from owners and tenants to ensure they are answered as soon as possible.
‘No answers’
Ferris said she will be staying with a friend for a few days but has arranged for a temporary rental as she navigates what kind of insurance she might be eligible for.
She worries about the possible loss of her home, the damage to her finances and what the report findings mean for her retirement.
“It’s very emotional and that’s the hellish part of it,” she said.
“Everyone is very emotional, scared and worried. And of course, we have no answers.”
Chantal Piche, who bought a unit in 2020 that was damaged by water during the March fire, only learned about the evacuation while she was checking her mail on Tuesday. She has been living with a friend since the fire.
She said the building is home to a lot of seniors and people with disabilities.
“I feel horrible for them because they thought they had dodged a bullet by being allowed to stay in the building,” Piche said.