The developer of the U-Two building on Academy Way is making an effort to help university students who were left in a lurch when flooding destroyed their homes.
In a press release sent out Friday afternoon, Mission Group representatives said that they “feel deep sympathy for the student tenants and homeowners who have been displaced – we are doing everything we can to help them.”
They are “particularly sensitive” to those who may not have the resources to find alternate accommodation easily and have opened a telephone hotline to help address any immediate housing needs resulting from the water damage at U-Two.
The release indicates that a failure of the fire-suppression system in an area of the fourth floor at U-Two appears to have caused the flooding.
READ ALSO: UTWO BUILDING FLOODS, STUDENTS LEFT IN COLD
The exact cause of the failure is still under investigation and Mission Group continues to co-operate wherever possible in order to bring a resolution to this situation.
“We are proud of the homes we build and stand behind our construction quality,” reads the release. “Insurance adjusters are working on confirming the cause of the incident, and we are committed to correcting any construction errors that may be identified.”
Dana Nazarek, a resident of U-Two, said water damaged almost all the lower floors, including the common areas and bedrooms. While he found living accommodations for himself since, he couldn’t speak to how the other residents have handled the news.
The U-Two building houses a lot of UBC Okanagan students who were entering mid-terms at the time of the flood, creating a serious complication for many.
“The fire alarms were going off and everyone was evacuated. We were let back inside the building around midnight and there was water everywhere, dripping from my ceiling fan and light fixtures,” said Nazarek.
Tenants and owners can contact Teresa Sommerfeld, Mission Group Homeowner Liaison, at 250-448-0358 or tsommerfeld@missiongroup.ca.
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