San Rafael apartment fire leaves over 50 without homes
Man injured in San Rafael apartment fire speaks
At least eight people were injured, and 2 people are still unaccounted for Thursday night as emergency officials search the apartment building that was engulfed in flames.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Several families were left displaced Thursday after an apartment complex in San Rafael went up in flames.
Shock was evident on Oseas Barreno’s face as he arrived at a makeshift shelter for the displaced residents.
He had just spent three hours at the hospital and was searching for his family, accompanied by Abner Diaz, who carried a bag of Barreno’s clothes.
In Spanish, he said he was sad to have lost everything in the fire, and didn’t know what to do next.
Diaz, who translated for Barreno, said, "His five brothers are here, so I’m trying to bring him here."
Barreno said early Thursday morning, he woke up to the sound of his neighbors knocking on the door. When he opened the door, he saw flames.
He said he tried to escape and was forced to jump from the second floor into the canal, injuring his knee.
He’s one of the handful of people who went to the hospital with injuries, and one of the more than 50 people displaced by the fire that engulfed his apartment complex at 519 Canal Street Thursday morning.
Officials assessing needs of the community
As volunteer organizations and emergency officials transformed the Al Boro Community Center in San Rafael into a shelter on Thursday, other displaced residents were coming in and out.
KTVU was not permitted to enter the building with a camera to protect the privacy of the victims, but members of the community also came and went, lugging large cases of food and trunkfuls of water into the building.
A man from the Marin Community Foundation showed up with his car filled to the brim with recently purchased towels and washcloths, so the families could shower.
One Salvation Army worker said the families inside were in shock, with glazed looks in their eyes, many refusing to eat as they came to the realization that they’ve lost everything.
The backstory:
The three-story apartment building caught on fire at around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Officials said it took firefighters more than an hour to get the flames under control.
Neighbors told KTVU they dropped everything to help rescue trapped residents.
Melsir DeLeon, who lives in the neighborhood, said he woke to the sound of screaming, so he went outside to help.
"I have an extension ladder, and I put the extension ladder there, and we brought like 6 people down," he said.
The building housed mostly Spanish speakers and immigrant families.
"We’re not asking about immigration status as we work to support these residents and are intentionally working with trusted community partners who can help overcome any hurdles," said Deputy Director of San Rafael Emergency Management Quinn Gardner.
Multiple emergency organizations coming together to support victims
City and county officials organized alongside Salvation Army, Canal Alliance, and the Red Cross.
"This is a real all-hands-on-deck sort of situation," said Red Cross volunteer Susan Todaro. "We’re setting up sleeping areas, arranging for food, three meals a day, snacks and then we’ll be able to start opening cases."
Catherine Quoffa, the Director for San Rafael Library and Recreation said teams were still assessing needs on Thursday afternoon, which were rapidly changing,
"Right now the immediate need is for shelter and clothing," she said. "People have lost everything, but there’s also going to be a lot of long term needs for housing."
Meanwhile, Barreno said, in Spanish, that all he can do is wait for help.
What you can do:
City workers are coordinating with Canal Alliance to receive donations.
Officials said monetary donations and gift cards are most helpful, and can be dropped off at Canal Alliance at 91 Larkspur St. in San Rafael or donated through the organization’s website.