Stories of the aftermath and impact on guests and staff of the Driftwood Inn which was destroyed by fire on the weekend, are now coming to the fore.
The Salvation Army jumped into high gear on the weekend when fire broke out at the Driftwood Inn in Deer Lake.
Major Frank Pittman says they immediately opened the church to guests from the hotel who were out in the cold. Then they gathered together clothes from their Thrift Store to help people—some of whom were roused from their sleep—who had to leave with just the clothes on their backs.
“We quickly had to get some clothes from our Thrift Store and get them clothes and footwear.” Most of the guests were members of a girls’ volleyball team from Bishop’s Falls. “So once they got inside the building, the emotion began to kick in, realizing ‘wow, what I just fled from’ and what the possibility could have been, so it became a morning of offering much emotional care. We’re thankful because we’ve heard there’s been a debriefing since they got back home, so they can help sort through those emotions.”
In the meantime, three young men from India who were working at and living in the Driftwood Inn lost everything in the fire, including their passports. Major Pittman says the community and members of the town council have come together to help them out.
He says some of the men have already secured a place to stay and their first month’s rent has been provided free of charge. “They all have new jobs,” says Pittman. “That’s wonderful….it’s amazing the way that Deer Lake people have really reached out and helped.”