Addiction recovery centre in Cape Breton damaged by fire

A woman's addiction recovery centre in Point Edward, Cape Breton was damaged by fire on Friday.

The fire broke out on the deck of Hope House on Friday afternoon and spread to the living room and the mud room, according to board chair Laura Whyte.

"Our staff tried to put out the fire with our fire extinguishers, but were unsuccessful," said Whyte. "So they then removed themselves from the home and the other residents who were home at that time."

Two baby goats that were inside the house at the time of the fire were safely removed.

Whyte said the fire is not considered suspicious but it is not known how it started.

Covered by Hope

Thousands of dollars in handmade goats-milk soap sustained water damage as the fire was extinguished.

The soap — Covered by Hope — is made by residents and sold in various shops in Cape Breton. Proceeds are used to support programming.

The mud room contained a washroom and the laundry facilities.

The living room was a common area for the residents.

"One of the residents had said to me at the time, you know, that's the place where we've been healing and that's the place that has come to represent getting better," said Whyte. "It's just unfortunate."

Staff and residents will be displaced for up to two weeks.

Six of the nine residents will leave for Christmas. When they return they will join the others at a temporary location. 

"In some ways it's so heartbreaking because when women come here this is a safe space," Whyte said. "This is a place to heal.

"So then to create a little bit more trauma on top of a woman that's already experienced so much trauma, it's not something that we want."

The damage is insured and Whyte said a donation will cover the deductible.

It will take a few months for the house to be fully functional. The damaged rooms will have to be rebuilt, the entire house needs cleaning and repainting and some of the appliances and furniture might need to be replaced. 

"You take broken pieces and you make beautiful things and you become creative and you move on," said Whyte. "That's what we'll do and that's what our residents have done with their lives."

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