SAN ANTONIO – A West Side woman is taking the loss of her home one step at a time after an apartment fire destroyed her belongings.
The two-alarm fire broke out Monday at the Marbach Park apartment complex. It left almost 50 people without a home.
The unforgiving flames forged a path of destruction. Building 5 is now fenced in and entry is prohibited.
“It's painful. I just feel sadness and shock. This is a place I sit out with my kids," said Annette Gomez, who has lived in the complex for over a year.
She and her family were away when the fire started but returned in time to see the devastation.
"It was so big, it was so big, flames were going up everywhere," Gomez said.
Gomez said she was able to salvage just a few pieces of clothing. Still, she knows she’s fortunate that her family is safe.
“We had everything brand new, just everything we worked so hard for, but thank God that we weren't there and thank God we're still alive," she said.
Apartment staff members and the community are now stepping in to help residents to get them back on their feet. A local church is providing furniture and clothing, and the apartment complex is working with the city to help with three months’ worth of rent and finding residents a new place to stay.
“They helped us real quick, no hesitation. They said, ‘Here's a key to another unit.’ And I was shocked because I didn’t know where I was going to go,” Gomez said.
Gomez said she can now focus on what’s next, which includes moving past the destruction, starting over and moving on.
Not only are residents being given a new place to live and getting help with rent, but apartment staff members also said they will hold a donation drive on Saturday. For more details, call 210-675-1251 and ask for management.
Another emergency donation driver will be held until Friday at two different locations in the Alamo City.
See below for more details: