ROANOKE, Va. ā A fire in Southwest Roanoke Tuesday left one dead and nearly 100 people displaced.
The fire at the Stratford apartment complex forced Benny Blankenship, and nearly 100 others from their homes.
āI didnāt know what was going on, and now I just know that weāre here,ā Blankenship said. āThe Red Cross has put us up here for five days.ā
Blankenship has been staying at the Best Western in Roanoke along with about 25 other residents.
The residents received around $500 from the Red Cross for a hotel, but for Blankenship and many others, that money runs out tomorrow.
āWe got a letter from the landlord saying that itās going to take two weeks for them to fix what needs to be done,ā Blankenship said. āSo, by the time I leave here tomorrow morning I have at least nine, ten days of nowhere to go or anything to get myself situated while they get things recuperated.ā
Tammy Carr is also staying at the Best Western.
āEspecially when people got to get clothes and food too,ā Carr said.
While the residents received letters under their doors from the complex, Carr is upset that they have not been called and updated.
āWe aināt heard from nobody at the apartment complex,ā Carr said. āItās like they got us out of the building and we aināt heard from nobody.ā
Blankenship says he just wants a place to lay his head.
āIām under advisement to myself that theyāre doing the best that they can in this situation,ā he said. āI just think that we need more help getting us situated, the people, before they focus on fixing the place.ā
Carr says she and her mother will have nowhere to go tomorrow morning.
āWeāre all going back out in the streets,ā she said.
But the residents are working together to stay afloat.
āDonāt leave anybody behind,ā Blankenship said. āA soldier doesnāt leave another man behind.ā