HARTFORD, Conn — In Hartford, 52 people are without a home for the holidays. They were banned from their apartments and they said, it isn’t the first time.
37 adults and 15 children are being helped by the Red Cross following a fire Saturday on Willard Street at the Regency Place Apartments.
“To tell you the truth the building really needs to be shut down,” remarked Sheena Byrd, who lives in the building.
Byrd told FOX61 that if it’s not the rodents, cockroaches, or broken elevator, it's the faulty fire alarm that lulled tenants of the Regency Place Apartments into a false sense of security when a real emergency occurred over the weekend.
“They told me you’ve got to evacuate because it’s a fire. I evacuated and I lost my kitty. I can’t find him and if anybody sees a black cat his name is Sparky. Please can you return him to me,” said Byrd.
In fact, as FOX61 cameras rolled nearly 48 hours after the flames, fire crews responded with lights and sirens yet again Monday for a tripped alarm. Families were once again forced to the curb.
“They were afraid of us getting electrocuted because the floor was saturated with water,” explained displaced resident Sahairah Boyd.
Boyd salvaged some belongings from her third-floor unit to take back to the hotel.
“The Red Cross has been a big help. They put us up in a nice hotel and they’ve been providing food,” said Boyd.
While it doesn’t look too bad from the outside, Saturday’s fire caused extensive smoke and water damage inside. It’s still not clear what started the blaze but tenants say the owners have long neglected maintenance.
“These owners who don’t even live in the state and aren’t familiar with the housing laws need to be held accountable,” remarked Boyd. “Hartford residents are at a disadvantage because economically they can’t move and so fires like this are avoidable.”
FOX61 researched the property and found the owners are in New Jersey. Tenants say it’s time the city starts paying attention.
“I just want to say to the city of Hartford please come out here and speak to the owner. This doesn’t make sense the way people have to live. We shouldn’t have to live in condemned buildings that are catching fire,” added Byrd.
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