FATAL GRAVENHURST FIRE CLAIMS LIFE OF ‘MOM TO EVERYONE’

Story and photos by Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — A fatal overnight fire today in which a woman, 49, died and more than a dozen people, including her family, escaped has shaken the devastated residents of the small five-unit apartment building — some of whom openly speculated it may be “arson.”

Erica Curtis-Nickason died after the 2:30 a.m. blaze broke out on the front porch of the home on First Street at David Street, her husband said this afternoon.

Justin Curtis said he didn’t hear any smoke alarm and that he jumped out the second floor bathroom window and onto a roof to escape with other members of his family.

Neighbours and friends, who shed tears, hugged family members, displaced young tenants and knew the apartment house, said there was no other exit, but the burning front door.

Erica Curtis-Nickason, 49, died early this morning in an overnight fire on First Street. Her husband said she “wasn’t just Erica, but a mom to everyone” in the small apartment complex.

Curtis said his wife “was right behind us” when he and his 18- and 19-year-old sons fled the initial flames.

“I was throwing the dogs out the window and I turned around and she must have gone back to get the cats.”

He said six members of his family rented Apt. #3, the whole second floor two-bedroom apartment for $890, and were able to escape, including the girlfriend of one of his sons and another son, 25, who lived downstairs in Apt. #4.

The all got out.

“Except the wife.”

Curtis said his wife “was not just Erica — but a mom to everyone” in the small apartment complex.

“It’s unreal, it’s crazy,” he said as about a dozen OPP detectives descended on the home and began canvassing the neighbourhood, as firefighters and Ontario Fire Marshal investigators wrapped up operations and continued to probe around for the cause of the deadly fire.

He said about 20 people lived in the five apartments.

Police say haven’t determined a cause of the 2:30 a.m. downtown Gravenhurst fire and that “all possibilities are being explored and investigated until we can determine the cause.”

The property — a block off the main street across the rail tracks between Shoppers Drug Mart and the Beer Store — which appeared rundown and in disrepair from the street, was well-known to police, who bystanders said were at the house earlier yesterday investigating a “mail theft.”

Some described it as a “crack house.”

Others in Gravenhurst have described it as “Hell’s Kitchen.”

Many of the displaced tenants were on the scene consoling each other throughout the day until mid-afternoon. That’s when police removed yellow crime scene tape and drivers in vehicles began circling the block to look at the damage.

From the street the building looks like it was totally destroyed and will have to be torn down.

At least one neighbour, who asked not to be named, won’t miss it.

Owner Al Morrow, who arrived during the night, was unwelcome according to the former tenants and neighbours who claimed the property was not well-kept.

Several said he was run out of their neighbourhood.

The home has for many years been under the watch of police, the town and its bylaw and fire departments, which have all attended the large decades-old house that was renovated in to apartments.

Curtis said he personally had never seen any inspectors, a comment echoed by other nearby neighbours along the street in a stretch of forgotten road where parts of it have enjoyed much better days and where unaffordable housing has ashamedly been a sad reality and challenge for far too many for far too long.

Justin Curtis was “right behind us” as the couple fled the flames, but that she returned inside for her pets.

An aerial fire ladder had to be called in from Bracebridge to help battle the fiery two-storey blaze that woke up the whole neighbourhood.

This afternoon, just after 1:30 p.m., it was used to remove Curtis-Nickason’s body to one of four Ontario Fire Marshal vehicles where she was taken to Toronto for a post-mortem examination at the Centre of Forensic Sciences, said a police release from the OPP’s Gosia Puzio.

She said the provincial police Muskoka crime unit is investigating led by the OPP’s Criminal Investigation Bureau headed up by Insp. Kurtis Fredericks.

Puzio told TODAY.com late this afternoon that police haven’t determined a cause of the fire and that “all possibilities are being explored and investigated until we can determine the cause.”

Curtis, a construction worker in Georgian Bay, said his wife, who was originally from Bracebridge, was unemployed, but had worked at the Fabricare laundry on Muskoka Road and at the town’s southend Dollar Store.

He said the couple had been married five years and that she had lived at the house for a year before.

Curtis, who is from Minnesota, said they were married after meeting on an online dating site.

His wife had five children before meeting him, he said, and that two of lived with them and another one lived downstairs. All are adults and were able to get out safely.

Curtis said they were “all sleeping and somebody yelled ‘Fire!’

“And we all woke up.”

Firefighters used an aerial ladder from Bracebridge to battle the blaze overnight and this afternoon it was used to remove the victim from her second floor apartment.

He and others watching today said they felt that it took a long time for firefighters to arrive just four blocks from the downtown Station One fire hall.

He claimed “no water was put on the house for 45 minutes.”

And that by the time firefighters arrived, “the whole place was engulfed.”

A fire hydrant is located on the front corner of the lot.

Jamie Miller, who rented a ground-floor apartment, posted an emotional account today on Facebook of the fire from her hospital bed after she suffered severe burns, rips and cuts getting out.

In it she said she was “extremely blessed” to get away after being burned when she, too, went back in to get her Saint Bernard and her cat.

Unfortunately she was unable to reach the cat, which was hiding under the bed.

She and her family, including her husband who was in hospital being checked for smoke inhalation, and their two young children 6 and 9 escaped with barely the clothes on their backs.

Neighbours who stayed up all night shared photos and video of the fire from the beginning.

Her brother, Carl Pallister, who lives not far away at The Ridge a few blocks on the other side of Muskoka Road, said he raced to the scene on his bike after getting a call from his parents who live on First Street a block north of the fire.

He said the fire had only shortly begun and that he arrived before firefighters.

Only police and paramedics were there.

He said he could hear Curtis-Nickason “yelling and crying.”

And when he tried to go and help her, he said police pushed him back and told him they’d arrest him and “put me in cuffs” for obstructing.

“They knew we were pissed off.”

“I didn’t care,” he said, admitting he did eventually agree to back off.

As for accusations about it being a crack house he said that’s false.

“One bad apple” shouldn’t taint everyone, he added.

He admitted the house was rundown and “nothing was ever fixed.

“No wonder everyone was getting furious.”

Insurance, he said, will cover the owner, “but what about the people?

“Let’s worry about them. They lost everything. They lost their family. They lost all their shit.

“It’s just not good. They have nowhere to go.”

Ontario Fire Marshal investigators worked throughout the day trying to determine the cause of the fire that started on the front porch and left charred remains.

Muskoka Victim Services volunteers were on hand helping to arrange immediate temporary accommodations for those who lost their home and belongings.

Curtis, himself, said he was offered help, but is staying with relatives.

Meanwhile, neighbours across the street and nearby brought food and dropped clothes off on street corner. Others brought or sent coffee, donuts and pizza.

Later in the afternoon Barry Anderson — who runs a vegetable stand a block east at Bethune Drive and David Street — had a huge sign of condolence erected on the corner outside their home.

It features a photo of Curtis-Nickason and one from her wedding with Curtis.

Four yellow and purple chrysanthemum flower pots were placed in front.

And further up at the north corner of the cordoned off block there was another pot of pink chrysanthemums from earlier in the day that sat nestled next to a hydro pole overlooking the grim street scene.

On Wednesday police confirmed Curtis-Nickason as the fire victim.

A number of GoFundMe social media drives have already begun for family and other fire victims.

To view the GoFundMe, please visit:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/gravenhurst-family-loses-everything-in-fire
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-miller-family-rebuild-their-lives

The First Street block between Bishop and David street was blocked off today for the fatal fire investigation.
Firefighters from Gravenhurst and Bracebridge spent hours putting out the fire before finding Erica Curtis-Nickason who was reported missing.
Jamie Miller posted a harrowing account of her escape on her Facebook page today from her hospital bed.
An Ontario Fire Marshal van leaves the scene after the victim’s body was removed by firefighters. It was taken to Toronto for a post-mortem investigation. On Wednesday police confirmed Erica Curtis-Nickason as the fire victim.
Justin Curtis points to the rooftop he and his sons jumped onto to escape during the fire during the night.
There were hugs and tears all around as displaced tenants and their friends grieved the loss of Erica Curtis-Nickason.
As emergency crews continued their work family and friends awaited answers as to what happened.
A soot-covered Carl Pallister takes care of his sister’s dog which she was able to get out of the burning home.
Caring neighbours dropped off food to Erica Curtis-Nickason’s son Carl, right, who thanked them for their offer of any other small help they could provide.
Behind a police SUV and yellow tape people dropped off piles clothes for the kids on the street corner.
Fatigued family and friends console each other while watching the investigation for most of the day.
Justin Curtis, right, gets a hug along with other family and friends on First Street.
Hugs and tears were the order of the day on all street corners around the fire scene.
Fire vehicles park out front of the burnt-out apartment home to five families who lost everything.
The charred remains and melted siding of the building look as if it was totally destroyed.
By mid-day a pot of pink chrysanthemums was sitting at the corner of First Street and Bishop Street in memory of Erica Curtis-Nickason.

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