Residents were evacuated from 12 townhouses in Halifax Monday evening after a massive fire destroyed a nearby building on Sunday.
Engineers say the brick outer walls of the structure are unstable and could collapse onto the historic homes at any time.
More than 20 people were evacuated from their homes and they have been told they could be out of their homes for up to two weeks.
The Canadian Red Cross is helping residents in need of assistance.
Several businesses are also picking up the pieces after the fire, which ripped through the 70-year-old commercial building on Portland Place on Sunday, destroying decades’ worth of equipment, files and memories.
“Some pictures, some files…I guess those are irreplaceable, and customer files dating back 10 years,” says Michael Carpenter, who owns Mike’s Print House, a digital printing business.
Artist Susan Malmstrom spent five years creating a pop-up gallery on display at National Art, which was located in the building, and now all her photographs, custom frames and antiques are gone.
“I have the original images, which can be reproduced, but that’s time and cost,” says Malmstrom.
RCR Hospitality is busy looking for a new space for its head office.
“We hope to be able to have access to space tomorrow, get our phone lines connected, get our computers and be in touch with clients right away,” says Elizabeth Newman of the RCR Hospitality Group.
The building was also home to Ravensberg College.
“We had lots of memories there. We had fund,” says student Jolina Jacques. “As much as we learned, we also got to enjoy it, so it’s sad.”
Classes resumed Tuesday morning at a new location. An instructor says students only missed one day of class and will still graduate on time.
One resident whose home was evacuated is thanking those who responded to the scene and are helping those in need.
“From the fire department, the police department, the Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Hilton Home and Suites, all of these people came to our aid yesterday, and it was just phenomenal,” says David Ballum-Haftka.
There is still no word on what caused the fire.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Amanda Debison
