Following a fire that damaged an apartment building in the Westlake area on April 6, many tenants were left homeless.
Some, like Tomás Serbellón, had no accommodation other than their own vehicle.
“I stay here to sleep because I have nowhere to go,” Serbellon, 70, said.
The accident caused the eviction of 37 people. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite some medical issues, Serbellón admits he doesn’t want to leave Calle Cambria, where the damaged building is. He specifies that he has lived and worked there for thirty years.
“Here, I am very happy in life because people come here to buy”, explains Serbellon.
He says he will continue to sleep in his car and use the area’s public toilets until he gets help.
thirty homeless
About 30 people lived in the apartment complex. a man was arrested for allegedly causing the accident with fireworks.
The flames damaged the building, leaving tenants with few housing options.
“I beg of you, sir, please help all of us who live here,” shouts María Beltrán, who lost all of her belongings in the fire. “It’s not just (it’s) me. There are children”.
A 38-year-old man was arrested in a tree fire that spread to a two-story apartment building Thursday night in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, forcing around 37 people from their homes.
Beltrán shares a room with four people in his cousin’s apartment.
“We sleep wherever it gets dark,” Beltran says.
Small response from the owners
The tenants said they contacted the landlord’s office to no avail.
The Red Cross gave them money cards. However, it was not enough to rent another apartment.
A tree fire that spread to an apartment building in Westlake forced around 37 people from their homes.
“We got help from the Red Crossother companies, but we haven’t received any help from them,” said Lesly Jimenez.
Roberto Sánchez’s family also spent the first few days in a vehicle, with the few things they saved from the flames. But, with three children, they don’t consider it safe to live that way.
“As an adult, you can stay wherever you want,” Sánchez said. “But with a child, it’s very difficult and dangerous to be on the streets.”
A raging fire caused several families to flee their apartments in the early hours of Wednesday. Some have lost all their possessions.
A generous person paid for them five nights in a hotel. The rest of the time they spent with relatives.
Telemundo 52 contacted the owner of the building by telephone. However, he hung up as soon as he found out who it was.