yellowwing
09-30-07, 01:10 AM
Home reno goes bad
House tips, crashes into neighbouring home
By ROB NAY, SUN MEDIASat, September 29, 2007 (http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2007/09/29/4535592-sun.html)
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/winsuntop.jpg
House flipping took on a whole new meaning in West Kildonan yesterday afternoon.
Robert Mazur was wakened from an afternoon nap just after noon to find his neighbour's house -- raised up on beams to install a new basement -- had fallen over, crashing into his own Hartford Avenue home.
"It sounded like an airplane landed above the house and then glass started shattering," said Mazur. "I jumped out of bed and called 911."
No one was injured in the bizarre incident but the impact left a hole in Mazur's kitchen window and cracks in the drywall.
Mazur, a student at Red River College, was the only person home at the time. His wife, Stacey Mazur, and her sister both live at the house but were at work when the neighbour's house tipped over.
Mazur called his wife shortly afterward to tell her the news.
"I thought it was a joke," said Stacey. "I was shocked but at least nobody was hurt." The house at 171 Hartford Ave. was unoccupied when it fell over and no workers were present.
Gene Fontaine of Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health said the matter is "under investigation."
It appeared one of the beams supporting the home dropped when the earth supporting it gave way, tipping the house over, said Fontaine.
Mazur said his neighbour bought the house last spring and was working hard to fix it up with the help of contractors.
Yesterday afternoon, part of the toppled home's roof and wall were still pressed against Mazur's house and fence while the other end of the home was up in the air at a sharp angle.
Horace Smaczylo, Mazur's insurance broker, arrived to take pictures at the scene and said he'd never seen anything like it during his 25 years in the insurance business.
Crews planned to lower the house, drawing it away from Mazur's home and allowing it to be demolished last night, said Jim Iverson, demolition manager with Paragon Industries.
A man identified as the owner of 171 Hartford Ave. declined to give his name but said, "I've lost everything."
A spokesman for the City of Winnipeg said permits had not been issued for work that had been underway at the home.
The city has the ability to take legal action against the contractor and homeowner for failing to acquire permits, said the spokesman.
Despite the rude awakening, Mazur said he wasn't concerned about the damage to his own home and was more worried about his neighbour's loss.
"They're still awesome people," said Mazur.
House tips, crashes into neighbouring home
By ROB NAY, SUN MEDIASat, September 29, 2007 (http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2007/09/29/4535592-sun.html)
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/winsuntop.jpg
House flipping took on a whole new meaning in West Kildonan yesterday afternoon.
Robert Mazur was wakened from an afternoon nap just after noon to find his neighbour's house -- raised up on beams to install a new basement -- had fallen over, crashing into his own Hartford Avenue home.
"It sounded like an airplane landed above the house and then glass started shattering," said Mazur. "I jumped out of bed and called 911."
No one was injured in the bizarre incident but the impact left a hole in Mazur's kitchen window and cracks in the drywall.
Mazur, a student at Red River College, was the only person home at the time. His wife, Stacey Mazur, and her sister both live at the house but were at work when the neighbour's house tipped over.
Mazur called his wife shortly afterward to tell her the news.
"I thought it was a joke," said Stacey. "I was shocked but at least nobody was hurt." The house at 171 Hartford Ave. was unoccupied when it fell over and no workers were present.
Gene Fontaine of Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health said the matter is "under investigation."
It appeared one of the beams supporting the home dropped when the earth supporting it gave way, tipping the house over, said Fontaine.
Mazur said his neighbour bought the house last spring and was working hard to fix it up with the help of contractors.
Yesterday afternoon, part of the toppled home's roof and wall were still pressed against Mazur's house and fence while the other end of the home was up in the air at a sharp angle.
Horace Smaczylo, Mazur's insurance broker, arrived to take pictures at the scene and said he'd never seen anything like it during his 25 years in the insurance business.
Crews planned to lower the house, drawing it away from Mazur's home and allowing it to be demolished last night, said Jim Iverson, demolition manager with Paragon Industries.
A man identified as the owner of 171 Hartford Ave. declined to give his name but said, "I've lost everything."
A spokesman for the City of Winnipeg said permits had not been issued for work that had been underway at the home.
The city has the ability to take legal action against the contractor and homeowner for failing to acquire permits, said the spokesman.
Despite the rude awakening, Mazur said he wasn't concerned about the damage to his own home and was more worried about his neighbour's loss.
"They're still awesome people," said Mazur.