EARTHQUAKE: THE LONG ROAD BACK : Curious Hordes : Looky-Loos Flock to Areas of Devastation

The Northridge Fashion Center, heavily damaged in last week’searthquake, became the most popular photo opportunity in Southern California on Saturday, judging from the hordes of camera-toting sightseers who flocked there.

“I just want to get some of this on film,” said Jeremiah Jennings of Acton, peering into the eyepiece of a video camera pointed at the wreckage of the mall’s parking structure.

Jennings was one of thousands of people attracted by the mass destruction this weekend. Motorists cruised the damage route next to the mall along Tampa Avenue and Nordhoff Street, taking advantage of every pause in the backed-up traffic to jump out of their cars and take snapshots of the damage.

Another popular tourist destination was the site of the Northridge Meadows Apartments, where 16 people died. As if the residents in the surrounding area, cleaning up after the quake, were invisible, people strolled down the streets toting video cameras and still cameras. They took pictures of cracked walls, broken windows and shaky stucco facades.

Some of those who came by apparently felt guilty about intruding on the misery of others and offered to pitch in and help quake refugees haul and load furniture onto the moving trucks that lined the street, said Mindi Renner, whose grandmother lived in one of the nearby buildings.

Other visitors, however, claimed a valid reason for coming by. Jennings said he came to help his daughter, who lives nearby, dig out from the temblor.

Simi Valley residents Susan and Paul Opel came to find out if Northridge suffered as badly as news reports had described. They felt that their city, which also was hit hard, has been ignored in the crush of news coverage focused on the San Fernando Valley.

“We feel much better now,” said Paul Opel, as he gazed at the growing mountain of twisted steel and cement being formed from the demolition of Bullock’s and the adjacent parking structure.

Rod Patterson of Inglewood came to visit a family friend who was evacuated from her Northridge home after the quake. He brought his video camera to document the scene for posterity.

“My kids are 9 and 6 now, and they’re going through trauma,” Patterson said. “When they get older I’ll show this to them,” he said.

Weary Los Angeles police officers directed traffic, trying to keep cars from slowing or completely stopping along streets already clogged with moving vans and residents trying to clear out.

“We’re just doing a great, big circle around the mall trying to keep traffic flowing,” said Officer Sean Meade, as he and partner Dave Tulk ordered motorists to keep moving, like cowboys on a cattle drive.

Traffic was also diverted around the Northridge Meadows Apartments in the 9500 block of Reseda Boulevard, forcing those who really wanted an up-close view to park their cars and walk over to the building.

Frank Espin of Westchester and Kathryn Boorer of Mar Vista admitted they came out to the Valley to snap pictures and view the effects of the killer quake for themselves.

“I wondered if people would hate us if we showed up,” Espin said. “We don’t feel that comfortable about doing this,” he said, fiddling with a camera that hung from his neck.

For some of the evacuees in the 19000 block of Nordhoff Street, gawkers were hardly the problem, said Sid Whittert, who lost his home of 22 years and a lifetime of personal mementos in the quake.

“We don’t pay attention to it, we’re just concerned with ourselves,” said Whittert, carrying stereo equipment to his car from his battered condominium.

“We came out alive, and that’s all we want,” he said.

Bill Roth of Pasadena, who came to help salvage what he could of his grandmother’s belongings from the same building, said he understands why the curious would want to catch a glimpse of the devastation. But he still wished they would go away.

“People who are just coming out to see the damage, they should just stay home,” Roth said.

The looky-loo phenomena isn’t unique to earthquakes, pointed out Carol Weiss, who was helping her elderly parents move from their devastated Nordhoff Street condominium out to her home in Newbury Park.

“Just look what happens whenever there is a fender-bender on the freeway,” she said.

“Everybody stops.”