Chicago fire victim speaks out about building safety, limited info from management
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some tenants in a North Side Chicago apartment building are still waiting to go home five days after a fire inside their high rise.
They said the lack of communication makes them even more frustrated. On Wednesday, CBS 2's Sara Machi got a look inside the fire-damaged apartments.
Chicago Fire trucks rolled up to the Edison Apartment building in Edgewater, five days after a massive fire. CFD said it was routine training unrelated to the Dec. 29th fire where several people had to be rescued.
The training comes just as tenant Flynn Makuch returns to their apartment to see if the electricity has been restored.
It has not, but the broken windows have been replaced and soot still covers everything she owns.
"It looked like charcoal everywhere but I needed to know. I needed to know," said Flynn Makuch
Makuch now lives in an empty unit upstairs, sleeping on the living room floor near the smoke alarm, showing CBS 2 the kitchen with evidence of mice.
Makuch said they and other tenants have a list of safety concerns, demanding improvements like audible alarms and fire suppression equipment.
"There were not audible alarms that went off anywhere. The only thing that woke me up was my neighbor pounding on my door. I opened the door to a wall of flames," Makuch said.
However, they said communication from the building managers has been limited to a three-sentence acknowledgment and a short posted notice.
"A letter posted by the elevator is not enough," Markuch said.
CBS 2 went to the management office and talked with an employee there about these concerns. She didn't want to go on camera but she said she hasn't heard from the tenants association or any tenants about ongoing safety concerns.
Makuch's tenants assocation provided messages to the corporate office Triguild dated December 29th and January 2nd, asking for a meeting with management.
They said they're still waiting for owners to name a date and time. Makuch said they know now that sometimes every second counts.
"This is a life and death situation. It is miraculous that everyone got out with their lives," Makuch said.
CBS 2 also called a number trying to reach someone at the building's corporate office but have not heard back.