Vacant building fires forces nearby South LA residents to evacuate their homes
The Los Angeles Fire Department evacuated residents inside a Historic South Central apartment complex after flames engulfed a nearby vacant building last afternoon.
While the complex did not sustain any direct fire damage, the department moved the families to temporary housing because of the potential threat of the abandoned building collapsing.
"It's kind of frustrating because this is something you cannot control," said evacuee Gerardo Ramirez.
Ramirez and his family said this is the second time they have been evacuated from their homes. After last night, his family's home has been yellow-tagged, limiting their access to the building.
Leading up to the devastating fire, resident Christian Duarte filed several complaints to city officials.
"I personally contacted the city, made reports to the city, telling them this building was unsafe," he said.
The building in question, the Best Bargain along the 4160 block of Broadway, had to close its doors after another fire consumed the business in July. It has since been red-tagged.
Since then, Duarte said he's witnessed a growing homeless encampment as well as others breaking into the property.
The owner of the business, In Lee, believes someone cut through the store's steel shutters to get into the building and attributed the most recent fire to the unhoused.
Despite reporting the break-ins, Duarte said he has not heard anything back from the city.
"They ask for your contact information so that they can take the reports seriously, but they never get back to you," he said.
The Los Angeles Police Department said one person has been arrested for the suspected arson.
Duarte expressed his frustration, saying that something should've been done sooner because the Best Bargain used to provide school supplies and groceries to the neighborhood.
"This is a major economic impact," he said. "The community lost a big resource and now we have to put up with the problems that come with vacant buildings."
Lee said he has been working to get a new permit to rebuild after the fire in July.
The department said they are trying to determine what started the two fires.