Fort Worth apartment fire victims still in limbo 10 days later: "No clear answers"
Ten days after a massive six-alarm fire tore through the Cooper apartment complex in Fort Worth, hundreds of displaced residents remain without their homes.
Many say they're still waiting for clear guidance on what happens next.
More than 800 people were forced to evacuate when the fire broke out on the roof of the complex last Monday afternoon. The Fort Worth Fire Department has since determined the blaze was accidental, caused by electrical issues. Part of the building collapsed, and thick smoke could be seen for miles.
Earlier this week, fire department crews were able to recover some belongings from certain apartments for residents.
Property management company Cushman & Wakefield confirmed in an email to tenants that at least 25 units in Building One are a total loss and will never be accessible again.
Samuel Markelson lived in one of those apartments, and he evacuated with nothing but the clothes he was wearing. He's not sure he'll ever have the chance to see if anything is salvageable from his unit.
"The thing that kills me the most is the fact that they said that my apartment is boarded up and I will not get access," Markelson said. "And I said, 'What are y'all going to do with all this stuff?' They said, 'We're just going to chuck it.'"
Markelson and other former residents said they're frustrated with the lack of communication from property management, saying they haven't received definitive information about lease cancellations, rent responsibilities, or if and when they'll be able to access their units.
"There's no clear left or right," Markelson said. "It's very gray. There's no specifics as to what is happening with the people that actually lost their apartments… No specific dates. No 'Hey, this is what's happening. You won't get access. Here's what you will get access to.'"
In an email to residents, property management said that each situation would be handled individually as they determine which units remain livable. The company did offer four months of free rent when signing a new lease at one of its sister properties and confirmed July rent is waived and security deposits will be returned.
Despite the uncertainty, Markelson says he's grateful for the support he's received from his employer and from community groups like Lonestar Dads.
"The people that live in the community helping others who actually lost everything, I can't say enough thank-yous for everything they've done," he said.
The United Way has launched a relief fund for victims of the fire, and Fort Worth Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck has also organized additional support. A fundraiser is planned for Sunday, July 6 at Panther City BBQ on E Hattie Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Residents will have to go through a verification process before they can receive any of that assistance.
CBS News Texas has reached out to Cushman & Wakefield multiple times for clarification on next steps for tenants and the building itself. A spokesperson for The Cooper declined to answer specific questions but sent the following statement:
"We are working closely with our local authorities and each of our residents to determine the best path forward for each of them individually in the wake of this incident. We have set up a dedicated email address to help streamline the process as much as possible. We are grateful for the patience and resilience of our residents who are dealing with being displaced and for the outpouring of support we've received from the greater Dallas-Fort Worth community."
