Thread: Fire leaves (3) families (in one house) homeless

Fire leaves families homeless

By Luis Ernesto Gomez/Staff Writer

Ten people left homeless Monday when their westside house burned are struggling to return to normal as they live temporarily in a motel.

The three families - six adults, three children and a teenager - had moved into the rented, four-bedroom home in the 1700 block of North De Joy Street less than two weeks earlier.

Feliciano Perdomo, 46, said he and his son Daniel, 22, have not been able to sleep well since the fire.

Both were inside the house around 8:50 a.m. Monday when flames broke out in a bedroom. Both tried to put out the fire with water but eventually gave up and evacuated.

“Almost out of impotence to extinguish the fire, I fell sick,” Perdomo, a native of Michoacan, said Wednesday in Spanish.

Perdomo was the only person taken to Marian Medical Center for treatment while Daniel, Mayra Guerrero, 22, and their 1-year-old child, Kimberly Guerrero, and 10-year-old John Villarreal escaped uninjured.

Firefighters have not confirmed the source of the fire, but Villarreal said a lamp exploded in the bedroom.

Daniel Perdomo said he was sleeping in his room when the 10-year-old Villarreal woke him up to alert him of the fire.

“When I woke up and went to the room it was too late,” Daniel Perdomo said in Spanish. Flames on the bed reached the roof and extended to the carpet, he added.

“When we saw that the house was completely in smoke, I grabbed the girl and got out,” Feliciano Perdomo said. “I wanted to go back inside to recover some of the money.”

Even though flames didn't burn the entire structure, the house and its contents, including appliances, clothes and cash, were considered lost.

Damage was estimated at $275,000, according to Santa Maria Fire Department Battalion Chief Jack Owen Jr.

Smoke damaged everything except a few clothes, a pair of shoes, some baby wipes in a plastic container and some jeans that still smell like smoke.

The American Red Cross has provided the family with lodging - a seven-day stay at Travelodge, 1514 S. Broadway - and about $400 in cash to each family.

Feliciano Perdomo said Wednesday that he was considered the head of the house in charge of paying the bills and keeping everyone together. He earns a small income selling fruit on East Main Street entering Santa Maria.

His wife, Veronica Cruz, 46, was also among the breadwinners.

Cruz worked with Graciela Villarreal, 26, and Freddy Ortega, 27, at a packing company in Guadalupe. The couple had moved in with their 10-month-old daughter, Leslie Ortega, and 10-year-old son John.

Daniel Perdomo and his wife are unemployed. Feliciano Perdomo's second son, Nestor Perdomo, 16, was at Pioneer Valley High School when the fire began.

Even with the wages they earn at the packing company, Cruz said, she doubts they will be able to pick themselves up. She said neither of them have immediate family living in Santa Maria to help them.

Right now they're relying mostly on donated goods, some from St. John Neumann Church, Feliciano said.

Wednesday, Cruz, Graciela Villarreal and Freddy Ortega returned to work while Feliciano Perdomo sold more oranges and grapes on Main.

Daniel Perdomo looked for clothes and work, even if it was just for a day.

KTAP's Radio Ranchito, 1600 AM, aired a short announcement asking listeners to make donations. Calls poured in for a while, but soon the cell phone died, Cruz said.

At the moment the families have no way of receiving donations and no bank account, and the American Red Cross cannot hold donations for them, an official said.

Feliciano Perdomo says he's waiting for the landowner to figure out whether the insurance company will compensate the renters for the losses.

He said they're exploring several options to find a place to stay, but if they run out of options, they'll consider going back to Mexico after living in the United States for four years.

“Maybe God wants us to leave just the way we arrived - empty handed,” he said.

Luis Ernesto Gomez can be reached at 739-2218, or lgomez@santamariatimes.com.

Nov. 23, 2006

This is just a typical story in this newspaper about my little corner of paradise.

Three families of illegals move into one single family home and burn it down in two weeks.

Not that the author of this piece is actually going to tell you they're illegal. No, they never do that in this paper. I think the fact that they don't speak English and are thinking of returning home to Mexico kind of gives it away, though.

Here's the KICKER!!!

The towns are being sued for ENFORCING THEIR CODE LAWS
and
LOOSING!!

They're NOT allowed to enforce code unless it's a legal American citizen?

This is sick and it will stop.

The 10 months old daughter must be another anchor baby.

they edit this because they want us to be sorry for them

The American Red Cross has provided the family with lodging - a seven-day stay at Travelodge, 1514 S. Broadway - and about $400 in cash to each family.

That $400 in cash should have been enough to buy bus tickets back to Mexico. It's a shame that the money we donate to the American Red Cross is going toward aiding illegal immigrants to stay in the United States!

stop donating to the red cross - they should not be aiding illegals

I agree that we shouldn't be giving money to help illegals and therefore not give to the Red Cross. They have helped them in Florida as well.
The other question I have is whether the Salvation Army is going to help illegals at Christmas and same with some of the toy drives. I would rather help poor Americans and therefore will donate towards needy families where I know it goes to them.

The same thing happens everyday out here,but it don`t make the headlines, and the renters (especially if they`re legal residents) sure don`t get free lodging and compensation.


Is this article about the fire, or their oncoming problems?
Let`s play the violin.

they'll consider going back to Mexico after living in the United States for four years.

asta la vesta.................baby

If a person or family looses a home the Red Cross does get involved with American citizens and residents. They mention the Red Cross help on the news while covering a story where fire destroyed a home or a roof collapsed, etc. There have been lots of news coverage about those incidents and you see African Americans, Orthrodox Jews and non Hispanics as well.

swatchick wrote:

If a person or family looses a home the Red Cross does get involved with American citizens and residents. They mention the Red Cross help on the news while covering a story where fire destroyed a home or a roof collapsed, etc. There have been lots of news coverage about those incidents and you see African Americans, Orthrodox Jews and non Hispanics as well.

I know the American Red Cross serves everyone in America, but I don't think illegal immigration was a consideration when Clara Barton formed the American Red Cross, which was modeled after the International Red Cross. IMHO, the American Red Cross should not help illegal immigrants because to do so only encourages them to remain in the United States vice going back home to seek family support and help. Perhaps the American Red Cross should separate into two separate branches, one for "other" nationals in America and one for American citizens. I'd prefer to give to the later, thank you.

If I wanted to provide aid to nationals of other countries I'd give to UNECEF, World Vision, International Red Cross, or another similar organization. If my feelings make me appear to be sub-human or less than American, I'm sorry - just blame it on our U.S. Congress and the 30 million illegal aliens residing within our borders!