‘It’s a nightmare’: Residents displaced by major Saint-Michel fire allege belongings stolen by thieves

Residents of a Saint-Michel building that was damaged in a major five-alarm fire last month say they discovered several items were stolen from their homes once they were eventually allowed to re-enter.

Newlywed Imane Miloudi says she returned home to find her wedding jewellery was taken.

“That was a gift from my husband to me. It’s worth more than $10,000,” said Miloudi, who got married in Algeria in August. “I have the receipt. It’s heartbreaking.”

Miloudi is among several residents who were displaced after the Oct. 19 fire at the four-storey apartment building on Crémazie East and Saint-Michel boulevards.

She says thieves also took a brand-new television and other belongings she’d been collecting for her future home.

“I found the door open,” she recounted. “All my belongings were scattered on the floor. They stole so many things.”

Security personnel were stationed at the building following the fire, so residents are questioning how their belongings could have gone missing.

Miloudi says she reported the thefts to police but was told the surveillance cameras weren’t working because the electricity was cut off.

A document provided by a resident, bearing the name of Groupe PNT, asks tenants to retrieve their belongings by Jan. 4 and release the company from responsibility for items left behind after that date.

The building manager confirmed the document was provided by the company’s insurer, but referred further questions to management. CityNews has not received a response from the company’s directors.

Displaced resident Hatem Rouis says his apartment was hit by thieves not once, but twice. He tells CityNews he discovered belongings missing on Oct. 22 and again on Nov. 3.

“They broke the locks and came in a second time,” Rouis said.

“I’m not supposed to be keeping an eye on my property 24 hours a day. I’m not even allowed to go in there. Normally, the owner is the one responsible for ensuring the safety of our property.”

He estimates up to $16,000 in losses, including cash, jewellery and a television.

“It’s a nightmare. It’s a nightmare,” he said.

Rouis, his wife and four children are still living in a hotel, struggling to find an affordable apartment.

Montreal’s municipal housing office (OMHM) says it’s assisting 34 households displaced by the fire. Twenty-three remain in hotels, while only two have found new housing.

The OMHM says it’s in contact with families at least weekly.

“The OMHM’s housing support and relocation service continues to provide assistance to the 32 households that have not yet found a sustainable housing solution,” OMHM spokesperson Julien Crevier said in a statement. “Efforts are focused both on immediate accommodation needs and on identifying permanent solutions tailored to each household’s specific situation.

“This includes, for instance, the application process for social housing or housing subsidy programs, as well as collaborating with our partners to locate affordable housing.

“In every case, the housing support and relocation service will continue – as it does throughout the year – to ensure that no household that has lost its home ends up on the street.”

The OMHM says it has no authority over the privately owned building and cannot comment on the reported thefts.

For Rouis, the priority now is finding a home for his family.

“All I need is a place to live so I can go back to work,” he said.