Local News in Brief : Appeal Pays Off; More Families Evicted by Blaze Find Homes

All but five of 28 families left homeless last week after fire severely damaged their apartment building in Van Nuys have found homes, and Red Cross officials Thursday afternoon closed the Van Nuys emergency shelter that housed them.

The remaining five families were issued vouchers to stay in hotels. A Red Cross official said they have found apartments but cannot move in until next week.

On Tuesday, four days after the fire, 25 families--about 100 people--had not been able to find new housing, and the Red Cross issued an appeal to San Fernando Valley landlords to waive costly move-in fees for them. The plea drew responses that enabled Red Cross workers to place most of the families, spokeswoman Anne Biege said.

The fire last Friday evening routed nearly 130 residents. Red Cross officials said they provided financial assistance for families to replace necessities, such as refrigerators and beds.