Resident says he cannot get anything out of the apartment
Former residents of an apartment complex in northwest Atlanta are furious because they still can’t get their belongings. The Bell Collier Apartments near Howell Mill Road caught fire on July 27. Management canceled all leases a few days later because of the damage. But one resident says he has proof that his apartment was not affected by the fire and he just wants to get what’s his.
ATLANTA – Former residents of the Bell Collier Village Apartments in northwest Atlanta are angry because they still cannot get their belongings out of their apartments following a devastating fire on July 27.
One of those residents, Christopher Jackson, said he had video evidence that the interior of his home appeared to be undamaged, but the administration has not taken any action.
They terminated all rental contracts at the beginning of the month.
He said he returned to the complex on Howell Mill Road a few days later and a construction worker did him the favor of entering his apartment and going to get his medication.
“When he walked into the unit, he FaceTimed me and the first thing he said was, ‘This unit is exactly the same as when you left it. There’s nothing wrong with this unit. I don’t know why they’re not letting you in,'” Jackson said.
Although the video connection was poor, Jackson insisted there was no evidence of water, fire or building damage.
He presented the video to the company’s higher-ups in the hope that they would reconsider their stance.
“They wanted me to tell them who recorded the video for me so they could reprimand them,” Jackson said.
A spokesperson for Bell Partners told FOX 5 in an email statement that residents would receive more information on how to get their belongings in the coming days.
“We recognize the urgency and complexity of the situation,” said Rosie Downey, spokeswoman for Bell Partners. “We are working with recovery and restoration specialists to develop a safe and organized process to remove content as the site is inaccessible due to deteriorating and therefore dangerous conditions. Details will be provided in the next few days. We very much appreciate your continued understanding in this matter.”
Jackson expressed frustration with the company’s communications.
“I’m glad they answered you because they didn’t answer us. It’s just lies. They’re trying to limit the damage through the media,” he said.
Jackson just signed a new lease and now fears he will have to write off everything he still owns in the building. But there are others who aren’t so lucky.
“There are people who have immigration papers in their unit, there are people who have the ashes of deceased people in their unit, and they won’t let us into our units at all,” Jackson said.
Jackson has joined a class action lawsuit against the building owners, claiming negligence.
The Atlanta Fire Department chief also acknowledged that problems with fire department equipment had hampered firefighting efforts.
