Partial building collapse in Logan has been a nightmare for displaced residents
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- One hundred people out of their homes after a section of their apartment building collapsed in Logan are awaiting the all-clear. The partial collapse happened Wednesday at the Lindley Tower Apartments.
About 100 residents were forced out. Many spent the night in a high school gym, a temporary shelter set up by the Red Cross. They still haven't been allowed back inside.
"We have no money," Rosa Abraham said. "We put all of our money into that building. Everything. Every dollar, every month, we put into that building. Everything. We don't get no help."
Abraham said the last 24 hours since her building partially collapsed felt like one never-ending nightmare.
"We have nowhere else, we have nobody," Abraham said. "This is all we have is us."
Her family along with 35 others spent the night at Samuel Fels High School in Northeast Philadelphia.
On Wednesday, they, along with 100 others were forced to evacuate the apartments after their building started to crumble brick by brick.
"I'm sleeping in the car with my car," Renee McCain, a displaced tenant, said. "I have nowhere to go."
Some residents are staying with friends and family.
"This is ridiculous," Timika Dover said. "I'm just ready to cry because I'm so livid right now."
Officials say part of the seventh floor's wall collapsed.
"All of the sudden now we're all moved out of our houses because of something we've been trying to tell them for months, years," Ruth Jarret said.
"They don't want to go back in the building," Abraham said. "And I don't understand how they can force us to go back in the building because you supposedly fixed the problem. You're going to fix the problem? How?"
Abraham said fire officials told her the building could be ready by the end of the week.
Until then, the Red Cross gave residents who had nowhere else to go shelter at the high school gym about 15 minutes away.
"We all slept cold," Abraham said. "They're running around throwing these little blankets over us all night. We ate cold food all day yesterday. Then we slept cold. Then everybody's arguing because they have cats and dogs in the same room together."
In a statement, the city tells CBS Philadelphia "residents will not be permitted to reenter the structure until L&I receives a report from a licensed, professional engineer and the recommendations made by the engineer are followed."
But this is little comfort for another resident who has no access to her life-saving medicine.
"I'm on dialysis," Dover said. "My medication is up in there. I got a whole port hanging out of my chest."
The city says it's expecting to receive the engineer's report in the next few days, but it's unclear how long it will take the property owner to make the necessary repairs.
The Red Cross said the shelter will remain open as needed, and they will provide three meals a day.
"Again, it is a temporary solution and my hearts go out to them and their families," Guy Triano, of the Red Cross, said. "We're doing the best that we can to make the situation that they're in as best as possible for them and their families."
An investigation is underway to determine what caused the façade to collapse.
