Victims in massive apartment fire work to get back on their feet through Red Cross, city efforts
NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA - The city and local organizations are continuing to help the nearly 50 people displaced from the 7400 Roosevelt Apartments massive fire.
"The blaze on top of the roof and the sound of the wall falling," is what Elaine Cruz-Ramos remembers from that last Thursday, a day that she will never forget.
"When the wall fell and I walked to the front of the building, which was the boulevard, I looked straight in and I could literally see my apartment. I could see my bed, my recliner and those are images I’ll never forget," says Cruz-Ramos.
She is one of the nearly 50 residents displaced, as the quick moving fire last Thursday, around 9:30 p.m., torched part of the four-story apartment complex near Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue.
Northeast Philadelphia fire: Dozens displaced after fire at four-story apartment complex
Officials say three people suffered minor injuries and around 50 residents were displaced after a massive fire broke out at an apartment building in Northeast Philadelphia Thursday night.
"I had like the most fortunate way to have a crisis," says Alexandra Muehleisen, a fire victim.
Muehleisen was away visiting family in Chicago that day and says, after alerts on her phone, she ended up watching the fire on television, as her livelihood was up in flames.
"Everything is gone, there is nowhere to go but up from here," says Muehleisen.
Local organizations and city officials are helping those impacted head in that upward direction.
They have been providing shelter since the fire occurred and Thursday afternoon, they hosted a recovery event for people to get everything from food, clothing and water to helping obtain government identification and passports.
"We saw the state of that fire well before it was under control and knew that we were in a long-term recovery process," says Dominick Mireles, the Director of the Office of Emergency Management.
Jennifer Graham, the CEO of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania, says, "It’s really critical in their pathway to recovery. Making sure that individuals, communities, families, really find that resiliency to move forward and really know that the city is wrapping their arms around them to help them in their next steps."
A gesture that those impacted say is helping them, step by step, move in the right direction.
"It’s overwhelming at times. We have our moments, our emotions like a roller coaster, but I think personally what helps us is that we have faith in God and I know he will sustain us," says Cruz-Ramos.
For those who couldn’t make it to the event, resources are still available by reaching out to the Red Cross or the city through 311.