Hundreds of Dallas residents affected by recent apartment fires
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Over the past two weeks, staggering numbers of Dallas residents have faced life-threatening flames.
About 1,000 people live in the Forest Hills Apartments. An overnight fire on April 19 has displaced dozens of them, but many of those residents don't like the term "displaced." They are victims of disasters that continue to happen on a regular basis.
"I don't have anything. Nothing to my name. Nothing." Jniece Howard watched it all burn away as a spreading blaze tore through her home. This morning, she learned that at least 100 others here faced the same devastation when 24 units burned away.
"Honestly, my mind isn't wrapped around this. I have nothing. Nothing. I don't have clothes. I have to go work. I have nothing," Howard said.
Today, fire teams are still assessing the Lake Highlands Apartment Community blaze. This multi-unit disaster took place just four blocks away mere days ago. Between 25 and 50 people lost their rented homes on Saturday, April 17.
And on April 7, a five-alarm fire tore through an East Dallas senior living community. Dozens of elderly women and men were moved to emergency shelters or hotels.
Officials with the Red Cross confirmed today that area fires, especially apartment fires, over the last month have left as many victims as some recent tornadoes.
"Lately, there's been a recurrence of large apartment fires across the city," said Britton Woolsey with the American Red Cross. "Just about every day we are responding to a home or apartment fire. Dozens are affected every day."
Mesfin Genie and his wife moved to the U.S. last month. Virtually everything they brought with them burned away last night. "As you can imagine, there is big uncertainty. We don't know where we are going to stay."
Dallas Fire-Rescue said they are looking at the possibility that a cooking error may have started the Forest Hills Apartments fire.
And with multi-living communities, one spark can affect hundreds.
