Montreal Homeless Man Dies in Fire
Sad news passed along to me by a friend.
...
From CTV.ca
A homeless man looking for a warm place to sleep has been found dead in the east end.
His body was discovered in a van parked behind the Word of Life Church at the corner of Ste-Catherine street and Fullum.
He had been given permission to sleep in the van to stay warm.
The victim, Donald Cyr, had turned to the church for help and pastor Curtis Matoga agreed last week to let him sleep in an old van that wasn't being used.
But things went terribly wrong on Monday evening -- a candle that Cyr had lit inside the van caught fire.
Cyr managed to put out the flames, but he died of his injuries.
Matoga tells CTV's Maya Johnson that it's a shame Cyr died just trying to stay warm.
"Great guy, good humour, he's 52 years old, he's had a very hard life."
Police investigation
Montreal police spokesman Raphael Bergeron says Cyr likely died of smoke inhalation.
"Probably the fumes inside the vehicle .. made the victim fall asleep and unfortunately (he) never woke up.
Police are saying the death appears to be an accident.
- Vous devez vous identifier ou créer un compte pour écrire des commentaires
Hopefully the pastor will allow the next homeless person to stay in the church instead.
I know, I know... the answer will be "But if I let one in the church, I'll have to let them all in" - which is the typical cop-our response in such circumstances.
Seems to me, though, that the church is empty overnight.
It also seems to be a waste of valuable warm space if people are sleeping outside instead.
If I were working at a church, I'd be quite embarrassed to have a homeless person sleeping in a cold van right outside the church.
Reading this really makes me question religion and its moral values.
Religion in my views is in the top five power tools that can really make the country sit up and do something about homelessness.
I wish that the right people would just Take the risk and open the doors or get out of the way and let those of who really do care open the doors.
8-) best wich for hope faith and courage !
It is allway sad to hear about someone's death.
Sometime it is about someone we've met before and sometime it is someone we realy knew for having pass sometime with.
Anyway, when we consider that this person had a very though life?
Then it is time to think that all this sorrow and pain is finish for that person. Then all the sympaties must go to all friends and familly that this person had in life.
Good bless the preacher who are not mush then human being after all!
In my faith, I trust that there is a better life after this one.
I hope this man is there now.
amen