Second fire in less than two years forces evacuation at Chatham social housing complex

Another fire rips through a social housing building in Chatham-Kent. CTV’s Sanjay Maru has details.

Residents at a social housing complex in Chatham were forced to evacuate Thursday afternoon after a fire broke out inside an apartment building on McNaughton Avenue West — the second fire at the same complex in less than two years.

Chatham-Kent fire crews were called to 99 McNaughton Ave. W. just after 4 p.m. following reports of smoke in the hallways. Firefighters arrived to find a fire inside a second-floor apartment unit and were able to knock it down quickly, keeping the damage contained to a single unit.

Crews from two stations responded, with additional resources called in as a precaution. No injuries were reported.

As part of the response, residents from the second-floor D block were evacuated and not allowed to return to their units Thursday night. Chatham-Kent police held the scene, and the Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

For residents, the evacuation reopened difficult memories of a previous fire at the same complex in August 2024, which displaced many tenants for months.

Robert Francis, who has lived in the building for nearly 14 years, says his apartment sustained heavy water damage in that earlier fire, forcing him out of his home for roughly seven months. He was not able to move back in until March 2025.

Francis says Thursday’s evacuation was distressing for many residents, especially those who only recently returned home after the previous displacement.

“It was just a nightmare, seeing everybody scrambling again,” Francis told CTV News. “We’re just seeing the remnants of last year’s fire finished up in our building. Then, this happens.”

As was the case in 2024, Emmanuel Baptist Church, located across the street from the complex, opened its doors to displaced residents, providing a warm space, food, drinks, and seating while crews worked at the scene.

Associate pastor Coleman Stucke says volunteers mobilized quickly after receiving word that residents were being evacuated.

“A lot of people were hurting,” Stucke said. “It brought back a lot of bad memories for them. We were grateful to be able to host them and show compassion in that time.”

According to fire officials in Chatham-Kent, a few more than two dozen residents are currently prohibited from entering their apartment units on 99 McNaughton Avenue West.

Assistant fire chief Ken Labonte said those tenants will be allowed back into their units once the Fire Marshal’s investigation is complete — a process officials say is expected to move much faster than the months-long displacement that followed the 2024 fire.

“I expect that they’ll be back in their apartment units in short order,” said Labonte.

Francis also credits his neighbours for acting quickly during Thursday’s incident, saying their response may have prevented more extensive damage.

“I give the kudos to my fellow tenants for their fast action of calling 911,” he said. “We could have lost another good part of our building again.”

Francis adds that residents are still seeking answers and accountability related to the 2024 fire, noting that court proceedings connected to that incident are expected to continue next week.

Currently, two people remain before the courts — charged with arson — in connection with the 2024 fire that saw residents displaced for about a year.