SAN ANTONIO – Thursday brought more bad news for the more than 200 survivors of last month's fatal fire at the Wedgwood Senior Apartments.
On its website, the latest update posted early Thursday afternoon states, "We have determined, along with independent experts, that the property will not be habitable for the foreseeable future."
A spokeswoman for Entrada Partners, which manages the property, did not say why the decision was made, but a letter to residents said it is now apparent they should now find new housing.
The decision came after inspections of the property were completed, including air quality tests. Also, a lawsuit and a temporary restraining order were filed Tuesday on behalf of 24 residents.
The 24 residents and other survivors have been prevented from retrieving their belongings since the Dec. 28 fire that killed six residents.
The company wrote, "We do not yet have clearance to enter the building."
The temporary restraining order was filed to prevent anyone "from altering, repairing, modifying, damaging, destroying or in any way changing the condition of the premises."
Hector Q. Martinez, one of the attorneys involved in the lawsuit, said the TRO was necessary in the effort to find out who or what was to blame for the tragedy.
"You don't want evidence to be spoiled. You don't want evidence thrown away," Martinez said.
A hearing is expected Jan. 27.
Martinez said he'd be surprised if the TRO is complicating matters for the residents trying to salvage what they were forced to leave behind.
He said if Entrada believes the TRO is meant to block even residents from gaining access, the company should contact the plaintiff's attorneys "if there is some accommodation that can be made, some agreement, some clarification."
Martinez said the TRO was not meant to create another obstacle for the residents, but rather to safeguard evidence not personal belongings.
There is no target date for residents to leave the hotels where many have been staying at no charge, according to Laura Jesse, a spokeswoman for the unified command of agencies overseeing the aftermath.
Jesse said the non-profit BCFS is working with other properties who may be willing to reduce or waive deposits. She said the agency also is contacting companies about possibly donating furniture for the affected residents.
Building not equipped with fire sprinklers
Wedgwood was not equipped with a fire sprinkler system. The complex was grandfathered in after the city of Castle Hills adopted the sprinkler requirement in 2012.
In the city of San Antonio, high-rise buildings constructed after February 1982 must have sprinklers. Buildings erected before February 1982 must be retrofitted with sprinklers if the building has been 50 percent renovated at one time.
In 1994, San Antonio began requiring sprinklers is apartment buildings with three or more stories or 16 units per building. multifamily residences were required to have sprinklers in 2004.