130 Tenants Evicted by Fire Trying to Cope

Dave Chenoweth celebrated his first wedding anniversary Friday. It turned out to be a day when his world went up in smoke.

Chenoweth, the manager of a 3-story Van Nuys apartment building, was celebrating with his wife at a restaurant when he learned that the apartment building was on fire. He rushed home and saw many of the complex’s 130 residents running around the burning building.

“It was amazing,” he said Saturday. “I’ve never seen anything like it. But the main thing is that everyone came together, and we’re really helping each other. That’s what really mattered.”

Housed at Shelter

Chenoweth was one of 85 residents from the building staying in an American Red Cross shelter at Fulton High School on Saturday, just a few blocks from their apartment complex in the 15800 block of Saticoy Street. Still reeling from the events of the previous evening, they were left wondering about their immediate future.

Damage was estimated at $260,000. Los Angeles City Fire Department officials condemned the building. The cause of the blaze was still under investigation, but Red Cross officials and residents said it apparently started in the kitchen of one of the apartments.

“What I heard is that one of the ladies in the building went into her kitchen and saw her stove on fire,” Chenoweth said.

Two residents, whose identities were not available, suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, fire officials said. One firefighter, who also was not identified, was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he was treated for first-degree burns on his ears and released.

Because the residents will not be allowed to return, Red Cross officials were helping them arrange for temporary lodging and assistance.

Uncertain Predicament

Chenoweth, who has lived in the building for a year, said he did not know where he was going to stay or what he was going to do. “I haven’t had any sleep all night, so I’m not sure what’s happening,” he said.

George Hunter, 46, a resident of the building for five years, said he had to rescue his wife and three children by lifting them over the balcony of their third-story apartment and helping them to landings on the second floor.

“I just got this picture in my mind of my family and I burning,” Hunter said. “I’m not ready to go yet. I was desperate. Now it’s a different problem. I have no place to go.”

Like most of the residents, the fire caught Diane Bryant, 42, by surprise. “I had just kicked off my shoes, sat down and was thinking about getting into the shower when I heard all this noise outside,” Bryant said. “There was smoke everywhere. It was awful.”