June 5, 2016 by By Lauren Krugel – THE CANADIAN PRESS
FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. – On May 3, patrons at the Wood Buffalo Brewing Company on downtown Fort McMurray’s main drag had to leave their pints and plates on the table as a massive forest fire breached the city and everyone had to flee.
Bryan Newell, a project manager with the restoration company PuroClean, said it was an eerie scene when crews first got into the establishment to clean things up.
“It was kind of unnerving because there was food left on plates,” he said. “It was left just as it was when they evacuated.”
The company, which calls itself the “the paramedics of property damage,” had about a dozen workers on site Friday tearing into the mammoth job of getting the bar back up to snuff.
Spoiled food needed to be chucked out and dishes, utensils, pots and pans sanitized. Workers were replacing soot-damaged insulation. Beer kegs were piled out front.
Once the insulation has dried in a few days, it will be painted black. Then, the plastic sheeting will come down and the whole place will get a good wipe-down.
How long until the pub is serving up pitchers again will depend on how long the boil-water advisory remains in effect, but Newell expects to hand the place back over to its owner by next Wednesday.
Update: Boil Water Advisory lifted for Lower Townsite (downtown) only. Further updates coming soon: https://t.co/LiPi8zuhYM
— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) June 4, 2016
Eric McCrae, who own a construction business in Chilliwack, B.C., has been hired by the pub’s insurance company to make sure everything is top shape and that the final bill matches up with the work that’s being done.
He has no idea when he’ll be able to get back home as he moves from job to job in the city.
“It could be a month, a couple of months. It could be six months. I really don’t know,” he said.
“This is my ninth day and I’ve been working minimum 15 hours a day. First day was 20 hours, a long day … The only break I’m going to get is when it’s all finished.”
Down the road, another restoration company was tackling the Boomtown Casino. Bright green fencing has been erected around the building.
Across from the casino, Ramona Morrison was busy getting the Smitty’s restaurant she owns back up and running.
The featured pie is pecan, according to the specials written in marker on a whiteboard. But Morrison isn’t expecting to be able to host any diners for another two weeks at least.
Someone didn't finish their meal on May 3 at this Smitty's in Fort McMurray. It's June 3. #ymmfire pic.twitter.com/auJ5odlOAv
— Jason Markusoff (@markusoff) June 3, 2016
Morrison was able to get back into her restaurant on Wednesday, when the city’s downtown re-opened.
“Everything has to be thrown out and we’ll restock from scratch on inventory and so on and getting our staff back from across Alberta and B.C.,” she said.
“I wasn’t sure what I was going to find. However, the conditions are better than I had thought.
“They’re not good, but they’re better.”
A family of nine is collecting what they can from the ruins of their #ymm home. #ymmfirehttps://t.co/8XTgdMaWU5
— CBC Calgary (@CBCCalgary) June 3, 2016
Municipality announces property visit program for restricted & destroyed areas https://t.co/21JeYC33RO #ymm #ymmstrong
— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) June 3, 2016
Assisting those affected by the Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. #ymmfire https://t.co/lXEuU8XX2G
— Team Rubicon (@TeamRubicon) June 3, 2016
WATCH: Specialized team hired to help sift through Fort McMurray debris #ymm #ymmfire https://t.co/y9tOQjeIZR
— Global Edmonton (@GlobalEdmonton) June 4, 2016
This is Team Rubicon, veterans who volunteer to sift thru debris. They're looking for homeowners safe #ymmfire #ymm pic.twitter.com/29qgvD4lR2
— Breanna Karstens-Smith (@Breanna_KS) June 5, 2016
Today I had the honour to meet some amazing men @TeamRubicon helping @WBFoodBank get ready to open.TY gentlemen!❤️ pic.twitter.com/Z2HPJCYnV9
— Paul McWilliams (@pmac0569) June 1, 2016
From Tuesday to Friday at noon, the #ymm dump received 850 fridges/freezers. #ymmfire pic.twitter.com/yVPEOP4of6
— Otiena (@Otiena) June 4, 2016
June 3, 7:26 p.m. – A message from Bob Couture. https://t.co/j4W1Y6w03N pic.twitter.com/DBZBuN4Mc5
— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) June 4, 2016
Fridge clarification: If insured, call insurer. If not insured, call Pulse @ 780-743-7000. #ymm #rmwb
— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) June 3, 2016
A lot of fridges going on the curb in Grayling Terrace which lost power for weeks during #ymmfire #Ymm pic.twitter.com/G6E44pbF7i
— Crystal Laderas (@CrisLaderas) June 4, 2016
Two, three, four fridges. Even those whose McMurray homes weren't lost have much to replace pic.twitter.com/kePEwZ0aLV
— Jason Markusoff (@markusoff) June 4, 2016
June 4, 8:04 – A message from Bob Couture. https://t.co/xG6DTZl7Im #ymmstrong pic.twitter.com/5Egx2OljVx
— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) June 5, 2016
Burned cars and trucks hauled to an impound lot in #ymm #ymmfire #cbc pic.twitter.com/muSpJSqLRd
— Terry Reith (@TerryReithCBC) June 4, 2016
Fort McMurray is a city with 1 million stories (though far fewer people). Melted SUV at a burned-down airport hotel pic.twitter.com/Qu40aNYR0J
— Jason Markusoff (@markusoff) June 3, 2016
Some officials have said homes were demo'd to save more from #ymmfire appears to be some on edge of Prospect damage pic.twitter.com/mKWAx5zEcD
— Chris Vandenbreekel (@Vandecision) June 4, 2016
We're working hard to restore natural gas in #ymm and we don't charge for this service #atcoresponds #ymmstrong pic.twitter.com/3Vg9zjGxnN
— ATCO Gas (@ATCOGas) June 4, 2016
Flying a drone over wildfire is breaking the law & endangering firefighters. Learn more: https://t.co/DLEgQoeZgU pic.twitter.com/M3WRRGXFUp
— Alberta Wildfire (@AlbertaWildfire) June 3, 2016
Great welcome home yesterday #ymmfire pic.twitter.com/AGbKtNmaxV
— Caper’sCapers (@TrudStar12) June 4, 2016
#lifeafterthefire #ymm #ymmfire #ymmfire2016 First grocery after the fire…cha-Ching pic.twitter.com/we6scsW6zv
— Meranda Bos (@bos_meranda) June 3, 2016
Canada Post boxes: through sleet and snow and the all-consuming wildfire. pic.twitter.com/6IVFLdwdXC
— Jason Markusoff (@markusoff) June 2, 2016
Fort McMurray wildfire loss estimate pegged at $4.6 billion: Property Claim Services data https://t.co/iM4oZ6lqHq
— Canadian Underwriter (@CdnUnderwriter) June 2, 2016
Returning Fort McMurray residents finding smelly refrigerators, dandelion lawns https://t.co/8Nq2lTwdVY
— Canadian Underwriter (@CdnUnderwriter) June 2, 2016
Alberta #wildfire underlines need for national talks on disaster mitigation https://t.co/ZHlnp3HoDG #ymmfire #FortMcMurray
— Canadian Underwriter (@CdnUnderwriter) June 1, 2016
Homes not safe: Alberta premier says return to #FortMcMurray delayed for some https://t.co/8YZzAtdFbr #ymmfire
— Canadian Underwriter (@CdnUnderwriter) May 30, 2016
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