Students devastated by Sackville apartment fire
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 | 9:54 AM AT
CBC News
A fire that tore through a historic building in downtown Sackville Saturday night has left several university students homeless.
More than 25 people were forced from their apartments on Saturday night. Eleven lost everything they owned. Many did not have tenants' insurance.
When Mount Allison University student Mike Bailey got the call that his apartment was burning, he thought it was a joke. It wasn't until he got to his building an hour later and saw the roof cave in on his living room that reality began to set in.
Everything Bailey owned was in the apartment, including clothes, photos and a new flat screen television. He said the fire destroyed all of it.
When Bailey started renting the place, he said it didn't occur to him to buy insurance. He didn't even know it was an option. He figures he'll have to start again from scratch.
'I'm not going to get anything back'
"Basically what I'm looking at is that I've lost everything and that I'm not going to get anything back," he said. "I think that's the easiest way to go about it because if you're expecting to get something and you don't, then you have to live through it twice."
Most students left homeless didn't have insurance and are scrambling to see if they will be covered under their parents' policies. Some will and some won't, depending on individual plans.
Terry MacPherson owns the Insurance Centre in Moncton and says students need to be better educated about insurance and the responsibilities that come with renting properties.
"When students go to university, in their frosh kit, there should perhaps be a handout that says, 'Make sure you do have insurance to cover your personal belongings,' " he said.
MacPherson said tenants' insurance is cheaper than people expect and that before sending their children to university, parents should be aware of what their home insurance covers.
Fire officials don't know what ignited the fire, but say it began in the basement of the 150-year-old building.
