With no clear answers, residents like Lauren Price are frustrated and fearing what’s next.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Days after a historic six-alarm fire tore through The Cooper apartments in Fort Worth, more than 800 residents remain displaced — unsure of where to go or when they’ll be allowed to return.
Lauren Price lived in Building 2 for over a year and a half. Now, she’s just trying to find clarity.
“The smoke is really bad and it makes you sick, so I don’t know how any of us would live in there,” Price said.
Price has since created a Facebook page to support and connect fellow tenants.
“Our biggest frustration is liability and then the renters insurance policy,” she said.
The Fort Worth Fire Department has ruled the blaze accidental, but says it may have started in the building’s HVAC system — something residents claim had been problematic for some time.
“There have been continual problems with the HVAC units,” Price added.
This 6-alarm fire is one of the largest mass displacements in Fort Worth’s recent history.
The property management team at The Cooper has not responded to requests for comment. However, a tenant shared an email from the complex sent Wednesday night.
In it, management states Building 1 remains “unsafe at this time.” Renters will be released from their leases without penalty, and starting early next week, some residents will be allowed to return briefly to retrieve essential belongings.
For residents in Building 2, like Price, the email offered no timeline. There are no updates on when or if they will be able to re-occupy their units.
“It’s just a waiting game,” she said. “After the nightmare that we’ve been through, I have no interest in giving them another dime of my money.”
City leaders and nonprofits have stepped in to offer support. Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, who represents the district where The Cooper is located, says recovery campaigns have been launched.
The United Way of Tarrant County has set a goal of $100,000 to help those affected.
“We’ve got two campaigns underway,” Beck said. “Every dollar donated to [the United Way] fund will be given back out to the residents. They’re not taking any administration fee.”
Local businesses have also pitched in with free meals and laundry services. Beck referenced Near Southside as a resource for displaced residents.
In addition, the American Red Cross and nearby apartment complexes are working with families to provide shelter.
Still, the road ahead is uncertain for many.