‘Very traumatizing’: Saskatoon man picks up the pieces after fire destroys home and documents

Almost one month after a fire destroyed four homes in Saskatoon’s Hampton Village, some residents are struggling to rebuild their lives. Stacey Hein reports.

Nearly one month after a fire destroyed four homes in Saskatoon’s Hampton Village neighbourhood, some residents are still struggling to rebuild their lives.

Ravitez Singh was renting one of the four homes destroyed in the May 29 fire on Geary Crescent. After smelling smoke and seeing flames, he rushed to get everyone else out of the home.

“It’s still very traumatizing. I’m still seeing the fire in my dreams,” Singh said.

Singh came to Canada from India three years ago. He works at Da India Curry House in Saskatoon and has been sending money home to support his mother.

Now, he is working to replace documents lost in the fire, including his passport, visa and work permit.

“It’s a very big headache for us. It’s going to take a month or two months to get your passport and get your work permit again,” he said.

Without tenant insurance, Singh is paying out of pocket to replace his clothing, electronics and other belongings.

He said his employer has been helping him and three other employees who were also living in the home as they work to recover from the loss.

Kapil Jaggi, owner and director of Da India Curry House, said he remembers the pride his employees felt after saving up to buy many of the items destroyed in the fire.

“Apart from the loss of those memories, there’s also the loss of valuables. We won’t be able to replace everything, but we’ll do whatever we can,” Jaggi said.

Singh said many others have stepped up as well.

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“The Sikh temple is helping us. Everyone in the neighbourhood, they’re all helping us,” he said.

Singh remains displaced and is staying in an Airbnb while he searches for a new place to live.

For residents planning to rebuild, the road to recovery can be a long one. SGI said rebuilding a home after a major fire can often take a year or more.

“The rebuild process can take up to a year to two years, depending on all the factors that play into getting that customer back into their home,” said Candace Hagerman, director of property operations for SGI Canada.

The City of Saskatoon said its fire investigator has not yet determined the cause of the fire.