By Kristen Hernandez
Pompano Beach, FL – Charred chunks of building debris from Royal Atlantic Apartments, located at 110 NW 7 Avenue, are still scattered across complex grounds from a blaze that ripped apart 22 apartment units, displaced 55 residents and killed a pet cat. Black flame marks are visible on the building façade, reminding survivors of the fire that tore the roof off their building.
It was May 15, the Monday after Mother’s Day, around 2:45 a.m. While tenants were sleeping, flames erupted somewhere in Peter Lawson’s unit. It wasn’t until the smoke was thick and black and surrounding his bedroom that Lawson woke. “I wasn’t drinking, and I don’t smoke. I was just asleep and suddenly there was smoke everywhere and the fire was spreading fast,” Lawson said.
Structure damage was so great that it seems unlikely residents will be permitted to return anytime soon. Florida state fire marshals are investigating, and the cause is yet unknown. Residents have been unable to sift through the smokey remnants that were once their lives to retrieve anything salvageable.
“It’s the scariest thing you can imagine to be in a dead sleep and suddenly you’re in thick smoke and you can’t breathe,” Ryan Melkiel said, resident and survivor. “It’s only because our phones were near the bed that we were able to at least grab that. There was no time for anything else, not even slippers.”
Broward County Chapter of American Red Cross came to the aid of survivors within 30 minutes of the fire, and helped with food, water and snacks. A triage tent was set up at Mitchell Moore Park and survivors that needed shelter for the night were given a $150 card. The next day, the temporary shelter was closed.
“It was the middle of the night, so we spent the night at my sister’s,” Michelle Hicks said, tenant and fire victim. “But the next day, we went to Mitchell Moore and Red Cross was gone. Now, I’ve got nowhere to go.”
Tiffany Gonzalez, Director of Communications for South Florida Red Cross explained the fire recovery process. “Each city in Broward County, except Pompano Beach, has a city response plan for large fires. Typically, we work together to provide ongoing assistance for those who’ve lost everything. Red Cross responded and provided immediate assistance. There were 55 displaced, but only 10 wanted to go to the initial shelter. The rest decided to stay with family, friends, or took immediate assistance and got a hotel room. The shelter was closed but each of the 10 individuals got assigned a case worker to assess their individual needs.”
District 4 City Commissioner, Beverly Perkins, also immediately arrived at the scene of the fire and witnessed firsthand the severity of losses resulting from the blaze. At a recent CRA meeting, Perkins recognized that Pompano Beach was the only city without a fire response plan and wants to begin to implement one to deal with the aftermath.
Gonzalez urges anyone who still needs help to contact the Broward Chapter of Red Cross. “We still have open cases. If anyone needs assistance, they can always call 954-797-3800 to be
connected with a case worker,” Gonzalez said. “This way residents can get the assistance they so desperately need.” www.RedCross.org
