Residents in a former hotel ravaged by fire fear they will have nowhere to go when their tenancy contracts expire this Thursday.

About 18 people, including five children, have continued to live at the Leopards' Plaza, Brunswick Street, Pembroke, despite the blaze rendering it uninhabitable at the end of January.

Government last month stated its emergency housing facilities were full, and tenants claim they have been unable to find alternative accommodation.

They believe their situation will get even worse on Thursday, when their tenancy contracts at the home expire.

Some are hoping to move into guest houses, but others say they will not be able to afford that option.

Shadow Housing Minister Kim Swan last night called for Government to move into "crisis mode" and find them somewhere to live.

One mother-of-three, who lives at the Leopards' Plaza, told The Royal Gazette she had registered with Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) after learning her contract would end last year. However, she said she was told nothing was available.

The 30-year-old, who asked not to be named, said: "We have to be out before Friday. It's a very anxious time.

"It's not been nice living here after the fire, especially with the children, but it's better than nowhere.

"I only had a year-long contract so I tried to make plans and put my name on the Bermuda Housing list. But they said they didn't have anything available.

"We are hoping we can move into a guest house, but some people don't have as much income as me and they're even more worried."

Denny Richardson, president of the Leopards' Club, which owns the block, last night confirmed the contracts for occupancy expired this week but declined to comment further.

Mr. Swan said: "During these cold winter months, these people are facing dire circumstances.

"The Government needs to put itself into crisis mode and find somewhere for these people.

"This situation has been known for several weeks and now they need to step up to the plate. They managed to find somewhere at the eleventh hour for the residents of the Canadian Hotel when that closed — now they need to do the same again.

"These people have had a roof over their heads and now they are facing unfortunate circumstances that will take that away."

The fire broke out in the early hours of Saturday, January 27. Three tenants were saved by the heroic actions of one resident, who battled through flames and heavy smoke to rescue them from the second floor in three separate journeys.

One six-year-old girl had to be tied to bedsheets and lowered to safety from a bedroom window.

One of the most badly affected victims was Laura Simmons, 45, who suffered horrendous burns to her face, arms and hands after fighting her way through the flames on her escape.

Mrs. Simmons said her lack of accommodation meant she had to spend a night on the streets a few days after the blaze.

She was eventually admitted to hospital after burns specialist Dr. Christopher Johnson saw her injuries in a photograph in this newspaper and got in touch.

She has undergone surgery and skin grafts and is now said to be recovering. The Corporation of Hamilton, which employs her husband Brenton, has since found the couple temporary accommodation.

In the aftermath of the fire, Housing Minister David Burch called for the community to come together to help the Leopards' Plaza tenants.

At the time, Mr. Burch warned that the BHC emergency housing facilities were at 100 percent capacity.

He stated that 14 tenants had been interviewed in June last year to encourage them to register with the BHC, but that only two had accepted the invitation.

Since that statement, this newspaper has attempted to contact Mr. Burch for an update on a number of occasions, including last night, but has received no response.

The Salvation Army has said it has 55 beds for people who need them for a variety of reasons, but it has also been at full capacity.

In February last year, it was announced that the Canadian Hotel, in Reid Street, where nearly 60 people were living, would close because due to its dilapidated state.

Most of them were moved into an emergency house facility at Southside within a month. Mr. Burch said the Ministry had worked "around the clock" to make the new accommodation suitable for the tenants.