Out of service elevator traps residents in Victoria apartment building

WATCH: Residents of an apartment building are waiting for the elevator in their building to be repaired. It’s been out of service for almost two weeks.

Residents of an apartment building in Victoria are feeling trapped after their only elevator has been out of service for almost two weeks.

The elevator in the subsidized housing complex at 640 Fisgard Street has been down for 12 days. The building has 49 units and at least 50 people. All of the residents are seniors and many have disabilities that lead to mobility challenges.

One of those residents is Ellen Tremblay, 70, who has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and a fracture in her spine. She lives on the fifth floor and now needs help to get home.

“I was told by my doctor I can’t do it no more. Walking up the stairs, because I’ve irritated my fracture and also my breathing has gotten worse since I’ve had to do this,” Tremblay said.

Residents say the building’s owner, the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC), has been unresponsive and unhelpful. Some of the residents told CHEK News that they have been putting compost in their freezers because they can’t get down to the garbage room in the basement.

Some residents are also concerned about making medical appointments and what they will do if there is a fire.

“I don’t believe that the seniors are being treated the way they should be treated,” Evelyn Read, a seventh floor tenant, said.

“I think there’s almost, I don’t know the word, it’s almost like a pat on the head, everything will be fine. And I don’t think they’re being treated properly.”

In a statement, the CRHC told CHEK News that they received confirmation that the elevator will be fixed on Dec. 15.

“Staff are going door-to-door with notices. We will be reassessing everyone’s needs,” the statement said.

A previous sign in the building said the elevator would be fixed by Dec. 12 but by Wednesday afternoon, a new sign was posted by the elevator that says repairs will be finished on Friday.

“They need to give us information as to what’s taking place and get their ass in gear and fix it,” Heidi Higgins, a fifth floor tenant said.

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