'Serious safety issues': Edmonton building where security guard was killed evacuated

Residents and their belongings outside an apartment building on 107 Avenue and 106 Street after it was evacuated due to safety issues on Dec. 23, 2024. (CTV News Edmonton)

An apartment building where a security guard was killed earlier this month is being evacuated.

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City staff, police and buses were on hand on Monday morning to assist residents escorted from the building.

A letter from the city to tenants said the building is being closed due to "safety issues."

"The building has serious safety issues that put you at risk. As a result, a decision has been made to evacuate and close the building on an emergency basis," the letter, shared with CTV News Edmonton by a resident, says.

"Concerns include poor building management, inadequate maintenance, security concerns, a severe pest infestation and more."

The letter says the Red Cross and other social agencies are providing temporary housing and transportation for residents.

Residents were advised to pack what they would need for two to four weeks.

"You won't be able to return until all safety issues have been fixed. Timelines on this are unknown."

An evacuation order issued to residents of an apartment building on 107 Avenue and 106 Street. (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)

"On Friday, my mom paid rent, and an hour later they came and they told my mom we had to evacuate," resident Colette Heathen said.

Heathen, who lives in the building with seven other family members, says they've experienced cockroaches and other problems in the building.

With just days until Christmas they don't know where they're going to go.

"It's f***ed up. Sorry, but that's all I can say," she said.

"It doesn't feel like Christmas," another resident said tearfully.

"I don't feel safe now, because where we gonna go after the hotel? Where we gonna go? We have no more room, nothing." 

Residents hug outside an apartment building on 107 Avenue and 106 Street after it was evacuated due to safety issues on Dec. 23, 2024. (CTV News Edmonton)

Jessica Mandrusiak, who has lived in the building since April, says she has experienced numerous problems since moving in.

"The building has been filled with cockroaches since we've moved in. We've had to get (Alberta Health Services) and the police involved multiple times to get the things in our building fixed. We haven't had heat all winter yet," she said.

She says the evacuation is a relief.

"We've been wanting to get out for a while, so it's kind of a blessing in disguise, I guess, because it's getting us out safely and quickly, instead of us having to stay here until we figured it out on our own.

"It's very rough or rushed and abrupt, but it's gonna end up being better for everybody in the end."

Harshandeep Singh, 20, was working as a security guard at the building when he was killed in the early morning hours of Dec. 6.

Evan Rain and Judith Saulteaux have been charged with first-degree murder in his death.

Singh had only been on the job for three days when he was killed.

Harshandeep Singh can be seen in a photograph provided by his family. (Supplied)

Another man was shot in the building two weeks before Singh's death.

The building is currently up for sale.

According to a listing on Realtor.ca, it was built in 1971 and has 36 residential units spread over three floors and six retail bays on the main floor.

The asking price is $7,949,800. 

The building has been the source of at least nine Alberta Health Services orders in 2023 and 2024.

AHS inspectors noted cockroach infestations on multiple occasions.

Residents were forced out of an apartment building on 107 Avenue on Dec. 23, 2024. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton)

Reports also note missing smoke alarms in some units, lack of heat, leaking sinks, bathtubs and toilets and mold in several units.

A notice dated November 2023 for the common areas of the building noted the emergency door of the building was not secured and could easily be opened from the outside as well as unsanitary conditions.

"The landing at the bottom of the stairs adjacent to the mechanical room was soiled with human feces, used needles, drug paraphernalia, garbage, and urine," the report said. "The floor along the front entranceway had a large red stain present. The common area stairwells were littered with needles, drug paraphernalia, and garbage."

There is currently no AHS order in place for the building.

CTV News Edmonton contacted the owner of the building, who is listed in the AHS reports as Van Vuong, but he hung up upon learning who was calling.