Fire at Kelowna supportive housing complex raises concerns among nearby businesses

A fire in one of the units at  Kelowna’s Hearthstone Supportive Housing complex Monday morning prompted a significant emergency response and the evacuation of the 46-suite building.

“On arrival, fire crews found fire and smoke from the second floor,” said Larry Watkinson, deputy fire chief with the Kelowna Fire Department.

Watkinson said one person, who was inside the burning unit, had to be rescued.

“The alarms were sounding and the person was just unresponsive at that point,” Watkinson said.

According to Watkinson, the individual suffered smoke inhalation.

The building, which is operated by the John Howard Society of Okanagan, sustained water and smoke damage.

A number of residents have been temporarily displaced as a result.

The fire department said the cause is undetermined.

Hearthstone is operated by the John Howard Society of Okanagan and is located on Commerce Avenue.

The fire comes as some businesses operating near Hearthstone say they are increasingly concerned about crime, drug use and disorder in the area.

Shawn Kopf, who manages MasterGlass AutoGlass next to Hearthstone, said he has seen conditions deteriorate during the three years he has worked at the site.

“I’ve been working here for three years at this location now, and it’s just gotten progressively worse,” Kopf said.

He said he regularly sees people using drugs in the area, including in front of the John Howard Society building and nearby businesses.

“They’ll just do it anywhere in front of the John Howard Society building here, in front of our windows,” he said. “You’re seeing 30-40 people walking like zombies around here daily, falling asleep in the bushes.”

Business owners and tenants in a commercial building on the other side of Hearthstone have also raised concerns.

Last week, surveillance cameras captured a person ripping out plants outside the building and several weeks earlier, door handles to an office were tied together with plastic bags, temporarily preventing Gerald Goertsen from leaving while his vehicle was broken into.

“It’s not safe to be here anymore, and something needs to change,” Goertsen told Global News in September.

The John Howard Society of Okanagan and Kootenay was contacted for comment but did not respond by publication time.

Kopf said business operators are frustrated that they continue to see what they describe as increasing drug use, property crime and other problems in the area.

“There’s no consequence for the actions that they take that harm the community,” he said.