Robert McNicol Saves Neighbour From Fire

Londoner Robert McNicol was at home in his Simcoe St. apartment Friday night when he heard the building’s smoke alarming ringing.
Stepping outside his 11th-floor unit, he smelled smoke and realized it was coming from his neighbour’s apartment.
McNicol, 51, knowing opening the door could trigger a dangerous backdraft, slowly pulled the door open.
That’s when he saw his neighbour, Jimmy, engulfed in flames.
“I just looked and there was Jimmy burnt, right in front of me,” McNicol said. “He was just kind of standing there all stunned and burning.”
McNicol and another neighbour dragged the injured man out of the apartment and patted out his flaming clothes.
“He was on fire. His clothes were burning when I pulled him out,” said McNicol, who spent the night in hospital being treated for smoke inhalation.

The sole occupant of the apartment, a 50-year-old man, was taken to hospital with burns to “a large portion of his body,” said police release. He remains in hospital in serious condition.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.

McNicol said this is the second fire at this neighbour’s apartment in three years. The first fire happened when the neighbour fell asleep with a lit cigarette, McNicol said.
The Ontario Fire Marshal and the London fire inspector were at the scene investigating Saturday.
A police forensic identification van was parked outside the building.

The building, located at 241 Simcoe St., offers subsidized housing for adults with mental and physical disabilities.

On Oct. 21, Bob Anderson, who suffered from muscular dystrophy, died after a fire broke out in his fourth-floor apartment at 111 Belmont Dr., a highrise co-op building where some residents with disabilities live independently with the help of support workers on site.
Anderson, 52, was a smoker and had mobility issues.
The Ontario Fire Marshal is still investigating what started the blaze.

Mike Leach of Sarnia Dies on the Job

SARNIA - Mike Leach, the Bluewater Power lineman who died on-the-job Wednesday, is being remembered as one of the good guys.

“He was an excellent husband, father and grandfather, and left a real impression on us and on our hearts,” Bluewater Power CEO Janice McMichael-Dennis said Friday.
Leach, 47, was electrocuted while fixing downed power lines in Bright’s Grove in the aftermath of one of the worst storms to hit Sarnia in 40 years. The Ministry of Labour continues to investigate the accident.

Leach spent most of his career in Nova Scotia where he had 21 year’s experience as a lineman. He moved to Sarnia with his family four years ago and took a job at Bluewater Power.
“Mike was with us for only a short time but he was a very good friend to us,” said McMichael-Dennis. “This is a very difficult time but we’re trying to help Mike’s family to get through each day.”

Last week’s storm hammered Sarnia for about 30 hours with rain and unrelenting winds that peaked at 121 km/h. North winds blew in from Lake Huron for days didn’t stop until late Tuesday.
The damage was extensive and as many as 30,000 residents were left without power.
At one point, Bluewater Power lost every feeder and the entire city was in the dark.
“There was damage to our infrastructure that we’ve never experienced,” said McMichael-Dennis. “We were hit like no other centre in Ontario. The numbers won’t be in for a few days but it was unprecedented.”

Hydro crews from Chatham and St. Thomas came to assist Bluewater Power’s 20 linemen following Wednesday’s fatal accident, she said.
“Our people kept working, even with heavy hearts. It takes real dedication to do that, but they did it knowing Mike would be the first one to say we’ve got to get the power back on.

“It’s been very trying but we’ll move ahead out of respect for Mike.”
Most Bluewater Power customers had their power restored by late Tuesday. However, a handful were still waiting on Friday afternoon to be reconnected after repairing storm damage on their property.
“Hopefully every last customer will be taken care of by the end of Friday,” said McMichael-Dennis.
Mike Leach leaves behind his wife Gwen, children Jessica (Peter Lammers) and Miranda, and grandchildren Bridget and Charlotte.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church