Wildfire evacuee describes 18th birthday spent fleeing in baggage car

It was a birthday that Jeremiah Ross will never forget, instead of celebrating, the 18-year-old spent his birthday fleeing wildfires near the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation in the baggage car of a train.

“It was pretty terrible and it was terrifying at the same time because there were over 24 of us piled up in a baggage car,” explained Ross.

“There were no seatbelts, there was no safety, it was practically holding on and sleeping on a metal floor on top of your bags to keep warm.”

Ross says the trip was four hours. There was no bathroom, and with the door open, riders were exposed to the elements and bugs. The 18-year-old says the ride was not what he expected when he heard he was being evacuated.

“We weren’t informed to bring any sort of blankets or anything, because we didn’t know we were going to be in a baggage car.”

Ross expected evacuation efforts would be better organized.

“I was having a lot of doubts, like that was so rough and I was so cold, I was holding my bags to just try and keep warm like I didn’t feel safe at all.”

Ross isn’t the only one to have a traumatic evacuation experience. His mother Amy Dumas raised concerns about mistreatment on a bus ride.

WATCH: Manitoba evacuee claims discrimination against Brandon Bus Driver

In a video of the incident sent to CityNews by Dumas, the bus driver is heard threatening to leave people behind, as the evacuees asked the driver to make rest stops.

“If I run out of hours, that’s where the bus stops,” said the driver of the bus in a video.

Dumas says the driver appeared to be more worried about keeping his schedule – than people’s concerns.

Brandon Bus Lines says they plan on reaching out to the community, and those impacted but offered no further comment on the driver’s conduct.

In a statement the Canadian Red Cross says it’s taking steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again, saying “everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

“We understand this is a stressful time for the community and those who have been evacuated from their homes. When we learn of concerns from community members, the Canadian Red Cross takes it very seriously. We are working with community leaders and relevant providers to gather more information.”

The Red Cross says they’re offering emotional support and offering lodging, meals and personal items to evacuees.

According to Manitoba Wildfire Services, yesterday was an “extremely active” day for fires, with seven new burns for a total of 63 active fires, including the largest wildfire near Pukatawagan. The province says it has now merged with another nearby fire bringing the blaze to more than 40,000 hectares.

The fire is now just kilometres away from the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation.

61 firefighters from Ontario and four water bombers from the Northwest Territories have been brought in to help with the continuing firefight.